US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War to project greater strength. The White House announced this significant rebranding effort immediately, emphasizing its strategic communication value. Consequently, the administration believes the new title conveys unmatched readiness and resolve globally.
New Name Authorized Immediately
While the official legal name remains unchanged, Trump’s order permits the “Department of War” as a secondary title. Furthermore, defense officials may now use “Secretary of War” in correspondence, public statements, ceremonies, and internal paperwork.
The White House document explicitly authorizes this terminology shift across the executive branch without delay. However, the precise signing timing for Friday afternoon remains unconfirmed by the administration schedule.
Trump, a marketing-savvy real estate developer, has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he was considering such a change. Late last month, the 79-year-old Republican claimed the Defense Department’s title was too “defensive,” stating on 25 August, “The Department of War was the name when we won World War I, we won World War II, we won everything.”
According to the White House document, the name change “conveys a stronger message of readiness and resolve.” Established in the early days of US independence, the Department of War historically oversaw American land forces. A government reorganization after World War II brought it along with the US Navy and Air Force under the unified National Military Establishment, which later became the Department of Defense in 1949.
“Restoring the name ‘Department of War’ will sharpen the focus of this Department on our national interest. It will signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war to secure its interests,” the White House document said.
Pentagon Reforms Continue
This action represents the latest overhaul at the Pentagon under Trump’s second term after he appointed Fox News host and combat veteran Pete Hegseth to lead the department in January. Hegseth actively promotes restoring a “warrior ethos” within the military bureaucracy consistently. He also strongly criticizes prior “woke” policies, particularly targeting transgender service members for expulsion. Additionally, Hegseth seeks reverting base names honoring Confederate figures to their original titles.
The executive order instructs the new Secretary of War to recommend permanent renaming steps which must include necessary legislative and executive actions for full implementation. Nevertheless, a future president could rescind this order relatively easily, altering the department’s secondary title again. Ultimately, this rebranding underscores Trump’s aggressive stance on projecting American military power worldwide.
