Current Role:
None (former Vice President of the United States, 2001–2009)
Previous roles:
46th Vice President of the United States (2001–2009)
17th U.S. Secretary of Defense (1989–1993)
White House Chief of Staff (1975–1977)
U.S. Representative for Wyoming’s at-large district (1979–1989)
House Minority Whip (1989)
Chairman, House Republican Conference (1987–1989)
CEO, Halliburton (1995–2000)
Education:
Yale University (attended, did not graduate)
Bachelor of Arts, University of Wyoming (1965)
Master of Arts, University of Wyoming (1966)
Doctoral studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison (not completed)
Background:
Born January 30, 1941, Lincoln, Nebraska
Raised in Casper, Wyoming
Married Lynne Vincent in 1964
Two daughters
Convicted twice for DWI in early 1960s
Career:
Staff aide to Governor Warren Knowles
Intern for Congressman William Steiger
Various White House roles under Nixon and Ford
CEO of Halliburton (1995–2000)
Political positions:
Republican Party
Conservative stances: pro-gun rights, anti-abortion
Opposed creation of the Department of Education
Supported enhanced interrogation and NSA wiretapping
Opposed same-sex marriage but supported states’ rights on the issue
Legislative achievements:
Wyoming Wilderness Act (1984)
Key role in Operation Desert Storm as Secretary of Defense
Instrumental in post-9/11 policy and Iraq War authorization
Controversies:
Advocated for Iraq War based on unsubstantiated WMD claims
Pressured intelligence agencies on Iraq
Supported controversial “enhanced interrogation” methods
Supported NSA warrantless wiretapping
Draft deferments during Vietnam War
Deeply unpopular at end of vice presidency
Dick Cheney, born in 1941 in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming, served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. A University of Wyoming graduate, he previously held roles as Secretary of Defense, White House Chief of Staff, and Wyoming’s sole U.S. Representative. Cheney was pivotal in shaping U.S. national security policy post-9/11 and championed the Iraq War. After leaving office, he remained active, endorsing Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024 and voicing criticism of Republican leadership. Cheney is the oldest living former vice president as of 2025.
