Donald Rumsfeld, the head of the U.S. Department of Defense under two presidents, died Wednesday at 88. His family announced his passing through his office’s Twitter account, saying he died in Taos, New Mexico surrounded by family. “We will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country.” Rumsfeld served as secretary of defense under presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush, helping the latter respond to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Rumsfeld later guided the Pentagon through the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, becoming a proponent of the fabricated claim that Iraq housed weapons of mass destruction. After his time in office, Rumsfeld established The Rumsfeld Foundation, which worked to promote leadership and free political systems both in the U.S. and abroad.
In a statement, Bush said: “All his life, he was good-humored and big-hearted, and he treasured his family above all else. We mourn an exemplary public servant and a very good man.”
