Ex-US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld dead at 88

Former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one of the main architects of the Iraq war, has died at the age of 88, his family has announced.

Serving under President George W Bush, he was a leading proponent of the administration’s “war on terror”.

US forces launched a campaign in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. In 2003 the US invaded Iraq.

Mr Rumsfeld resigned in 2006 amid the turmoil in post-war Iraq, but always defended his record.

Reacting to the news, President Bush described Mr Rumsfeld as “a very good man”.

He died at his home in the town of Taos, New Mexico.

“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,” the family said in a statement.

Rumsfeld’s political career spanned decades, as he forged a reputation as the ultimate Washington insider and a true political survivor who became notorious for outmanoeuvring his foes.

He served as Secretary of Defence under two US presidents – Gerald Ford and later President George W Bush – with a stint in the private sector in between.

One of his most memorable moments came at a 2002 news briefing when – asked about the lack of evidence linking Saddam Hussein to weapons of mass destruction – he gave a meandering answer about the concept of “known knowns” and “known unknowns” to much public mockery.

Ahead of the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, Mr Rumsfeld vocally made the case for the invasion.

He argued that the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction posed a danger to the world, but no such weapons were ever found.