U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a controversial rebranding of the Pentagon, directing that the Department of Defense (DoD) be referred to as the Department of War in official use by his administration.
According to a White House document released Thursday, Trump issued an executive order authorizing the use of the historic title as a “secondary name” across executive branch communications, including in public statements, ceremonial settings, and official correspondence.
“Restoring the name ‘Department of War’ will sharpen the focus of this Department on our national interest and signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war to secure its interests,” the document stated.
While the Defense Department’s official title is set in U.S. law, Trump’s order allows the rebranding to be used by administration officials until Congress enacts permanent legislation. His schedule indicated he would sign a series of executive orders Friday, with a formal announcement expected from the Oval Office.
The 79-year-old Republican leader has openly mulled the name change for weeks, repeatedly arguing that the term Defense was “too passive” and failed to project America’s strength.
“The Department of War was the name when we won World War I, we won World War II, we won everything,” Trump told reporters on August 25. “Defense sounds weak. War sounds strong.”
The Department of War was originally established in the 18th century to oversee U.S. land forces before being merged into the National Military Establishment in 1947 and later renamed the Department of Defense in 1949.
Trump’s directive marks one of the most symbolic shifts at the Pentagon since he appointed former Fox News host and combat veteran Pete Hegseth as its leader earlier this year. Hegseth has been a vocal proponent of restoring what he calls a “warrior ethos,” criticizing previous administrations for what he describes as “woke policies.”
Under Hegseth’s leadership, the Pentagon has already reversed efforts to diversify the force, including attempting to reinstate Confederate base names removed under President Joe Biden and pushing for the expulsion of transgender troops.
The White House emphasized that the new name conveys “a stronger message of readiness and resolve” both to U.S. citizens and foreign adversaries. However, the order could be reversed by a future president, though Trump has instructed the new “Secretary of War” to pursue legislative options to make the change permanent.
The move has sparked debate in Washington, with critics warning it could escalate tensions abroad and mark a return to aggressive Cold War-era rhetoric, while Trump’s supporters hailed it as a return to America’s “winning tradition.”
