Who was Donald Rumsfeld and what was his cause of death?
FORMER Republican Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld died on June 30, 2021. He spent nearly six decades in politics before his passing. Donald Rumsfeld served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under Gerald Ford, and again from January 2001 to December 2006 under George W. Bush. He was both the youngest and the second-oldest person to serve in the Secretary of Defense role. Rumsfeld was working in the White House during 9/11 and it's aftermath. He oversaw Pentagons response and its initial attack on al-Qaida bases in Afghanistan. From there, he became a key decision maker during the Iraq War, turning the Pentagons attention to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2002. 3 Donald Rumsfeld was formerly the US Secretary of Defense Credit: Rota  In 2003, forces invaded Iraq to prevent Hussein from launching attacks with weapons of mass destruction. This prompted a guerrilla war in the country after none were found. Bush fired Rumsfeld in 2006, following thousands of deaths of US troops as well as Iraqi and Afghani civilians. Rumsfeld's family confirmed the news of his death in a statement, writing:  "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather," it read. "History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, 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." 3 Donald Rumsfeld passed away on June 30, 2021 at 88-years-old Credit: Reuters  The statement confirmed that he passed away "surrounded by family" in Taos, New Mexico. He was 88 years old at the time of his death. The cause of Rumsfeld's death was multiple myeloma, according to his spokesman, Keith Urbahn. Twitter users weighed in on the news of Rumsfeld's passing on the platform. One user passionately tweeted: "Donald Rumsfeld being described as 'a visionary' makes me sick. The man was a war monger, a murderer, an imperialist. He is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions more." Quoting the late politician, one tweet read 'There are known knowns  there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns  that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns  the ones we don't know we don't know. '  "Our country lost a great man today. #DonaldRumsfeld was a brilliant thinker and a humble servant leader. We offer our deepest condolences to his family," one wrote. "Donald Rumsfeld, one of the biggest and most serious war criminals of the past and current century, never saw justice. Given all the chances in the world by a fawning media, he never once showed any sign of remorse or guilt," a user uploaded.