- U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” reviving a title dropped after World War II.
- Trump argues the new name projects “strength” and signals “victory,” criticizing the “defensive” nature of the current title as too passive or “woke.”
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his deputy are now referred to as “Secretary of War” and “Deputy Secretary of War” in official communications.
- A full legal name change requires congressional approval, with Republican lawmakers introducing legislation to support the move.
- The Department of War existed from 1789 until 1947, when it was reorganized into the Department of Defense to reflect a focus on preventing conflict in the nuclear age.
Trump Executive Order Renames the Department of Defense to the ‘Department of War’
