Former U.S. President George W. Bush mourned on Tuesday, November 4, the death of his former vice president, Dick Cheney, as a “loss to the nation” and praised “his calm and steady presence” in the White House “in the midst of great challenges” such as the 9/11 attacks during his tenure.
“The death of Richard B. Cheney is a loss for the nation and a sadness for his friends,” Bush wrote in a statement published on X, where he thanked the veteran politician for being at his side during the eight years of his presidency (2001-2009) and expressed condolences to his family.
Bush mourns death of Dick Cheney
Statement by President George W. Bush on Vice President Dick Cheney:
The death of Richard B. Cheney is a loss to the nation and a sorrow to his friends. Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was. History will remember him as among the finest… pic.twitter.com/fmx7hI4eFD
– George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) November 4, 2025
According to the former Republican president, history will remember Cheney as “one of the best public servants of his generation: a patriot who brought integrity, great intelligence and seriousness to every office he held.”
“Dick was a calm and steady presence in the White House in the midst of great national challenges. I trusted his honest and straightforward advice, and he always gave his best. He stood true to his convictions and prioritized the freedom and security of the American people,” Bush said.
A controversial figure like few others, Cheney (1941-2025) died Monday night, Nov. 3, at the age of 84 from complications of pneumonia and cardiovascular problems, his family revealed Tuesday.
Before becoming Bush Jr.’s vice president, he served as secretary of defense under his father, fellow Republican George H.W. Bush, where he led the U.S. military intervention in the Persian Gulf in 1991.
Later, in the White House, he was one of the main architects of the “war on terrorism” after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when -in the absence of George W. Bush- he took command from the Situation Room (White House crisis room), a leading position he never left.
Durante sus dos mandatos y a lo largo de su extraordinaria trayectoria, el servicio de Dick Cheney siempre honró al país que amaba
George W. Bush
Bush’s former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, also reacted with sadness to the death of the man she described as “an unwavering patriot”, with whom she served for years in Washington.
Rice insisted that as vice president, Cheney “helped chart a course to protect America after the fateful days of 9/11” and sent condolences to his family.
“He was an inspirational figure and a mentor who taught me a lot about public service,” he said.
