WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney died Monday evening at the age of 84, according to U.S. media reports.

The cause was complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, according to a statement from Cheney's family.

Cheney served as vice president from 2001 to 2009 under former Republican President George W. Bush. He is widely regarded as having played a key role in the decisions that led to the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The New York Times said Cheney was "widely regarded as the most powerful vice president in American history."

In recent years, Cheney has publicly opposed Donald Trump. His daughter Liz Cheney became one of Trump's fiercest critics in Congress after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Dick Cheney strongly supported her stance.

In the 2024 election, Cheney shocked Americans across the political spectrum by declaring his support for Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and condemning her Republican rival, Trump. ■