Just days after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to drop its long-standing name — the Department of Defense — and rebrand as the Department of War, the White House has
made a similar move.
According to two people familiar with the decision, what used to be the “Directorate of Defense” inside the National Security Council will now be called the “Directorate of War.” Staff working there will now carry the title of “directors for war,” overseen by a “special assistant to the president for war.”
The change, which hasn’t been formally announced, was signed off this week by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has also been serving as Trump’s national security adviser since May. Asked for comment, a White House spokesperson confirmed the rebrand — and added a blunt hashtag: #WAR.
It’s not clear whether this move will actually shift U.S. policy. Trump continues to brand himself as both a strongman and a peacemaker — even as allies push for him to be considered for a Nobel Peace Prize. Critics, meanwhile, argue the Pentagon’s rebrand alone will come with steep costs, since signs, stationery, and documents worldwide would need to be updated. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth defended the change, saying it reflects a “warrior ethos,” not just semantics.
Traditionally, each NSC directorate focuses on a different area, like intelligence, legislation, or specific regions such as Europe or East Asia. The defense (now war) directorate has typically overseen military readiness and weapons policy, though responsibilities shift between administrations.
Still, the directorate’s influence may be more symbolic than practical. Under Trump, the National Security Council has lost much of its sway. Many staffers have departed, and major decision-making has increasingly shifted to the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence agencies. Photo by DoD photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia commons.
