Dick Cheney, the former US vice-president who died on Monday aged 84, has been called the 'godfather of the Trump presidency' for laying the foundations of the expansive executive power that Donald Trump now wields. Critics argue that Cheney’s push for a 'unitary executive' – asserting total presidential control over the federal government – created a precedent that Trump has exploited to challenge democratic checks and balances.
Cheney, who served under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, used the September 11 attacks to justify a muscular executive authority. This included warrantless surveillance, the creation of 'enemy combatant' status, and pre-emptive war – policies that political analysts see as a direct line to Trump’s actions against immigrants, drug traffickers, and political opponents.
Larry Jacobs of the University of Minnesota said: 'Dick Cheney is the godfather of the Trump presidency. Trump is unchained because Cheney had been at war for half a century against the restraints put in place after Vietnam and Watergate. He believed that action was more important than following constitutional rules.'
Cheney’s ideology was shaped by his experience as chief of staff under Gerald Ford, after the Watergate scandal. He concluded that Congress had gone too far in limiting presidential power, particularly with laws such as the War Powers Act of 1973. In a 2005 interview, Cheney said: 'I do believe over the years there had been an erosion of presidential power and authority... the president needs to be effective especially in a national security area.'
His vision was enshrined in the 'unitary executive theory', which holds that the president alone controls the entire executive branch, rendering independent agencies subordinate. As vice-president, Cheney was nicknamed 'Darth Vader' for his role in expanding White House power during the 'war on terror'.
