President Donald Trump is once again making headlines — this time by reviving a name that hasn’t been used in more than 70 years. The White House confirmed that Trump plans to sign an
executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.”
Technically, the president can’t make the change permanent on his own. Any official renaming would require Congress to sign off. But Trump’s order, expected Friday, would allow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon to use “secondary titles” in the meantime, while also recommending steps to make the change permanent.
On Thursday night, Hegseth fueled speculation by posting a bold message on X (formerly Twitter): “DEPARTMENT OF WAR.”
So why push for the change?
According to Trump, “Department of Defense” sounds too passive. He believes calling it the “Department of War” sends a stronger message about U.S. strength, readiness, and resolve. A White House statement backed that up, saying the new name projects power more clearly.
This move also fits Trump’s pattern — he has often tried to reshape institutions by renaming them, signaling his personal stamp on government identity.
For history buffs: this isn’t entirely new. The Pentagon was actually called the War Department until 1947, when Congress reorganized the military after World War II, combining the Army, Navy, and newly created Air Force under what became the Department of Defense. Photo by "DoD photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force.", Wikimedia commons.
