In the end, Richard Bruce Cheney’s story was one of contradictions — intellect and secrecy, patriotism and ruthless determination, conviction and controversy. Few American leaders have wielded as much influence from behind the scenes, and even fewer have left such a divided legacy.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Casper, Wyoming, Cheney rose from modest roots to become one of the most consequential — and polarizing — figures in modern American politics. A lifelong Washington insider, he shaped U.S. defense and foreign policy over five decades, leaving a mark that outlasted his time in office.