Trump Changes Department of Defense to Department of War, Sparks Debate

Tue Sep 30 2025 09:36:15 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a controversial move, President Trump has signed an executive order to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War, reviving a name used before 1947 and igniting discussions about military readiness and messaging.

President Trump has directed that the Department of Defense be rebranded as the Department of War, stating that the new name conveys a stronger message of readiness. The rebranding is seen as a move towards emphasizing aggressive military posturing, with a potential overhaul cost projected to be in the billions. The plan is awaiting congressional approval for permanent change amidst mixed reactions from lawmakers.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that directs the Department of Defense to be known as the Department of War.

The move restores a name the agency last held in the 1940s and, according to the text of the order seen by the BBC, the aim is to project strength and resolve.

The department will initially use the new name as a secondary title while the administration seeks congressional approval to make the change permanent.

The White House is yet to say how much a rebrand would cost, but US media expect a billion-dollar price tag for the overhaul of hundreds of agencies, emblems, email addresses and uniforms.

The Department of Defense (DoD), which oversees the US armed services, is the successor to the War Department, established as a cabinet-level agency in 1789 and existed until 1947.

The executive order states: The name 'Department of War' conveys a stronger message of readiness and resolve compared to 'Department of Defense,' which emphasizes only defensive capabilities.

I think it's a much more appropriate name, in light of where the world is right now, Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday, adding that it sends a message of victory.

The order states Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will be known as secretary of war. It instructs him to recommend and include legislative and executive actions to move towards a permanent renaming of the department.

During the signing, Hegseth stated, this name change is not just about renaming, it's about restoring, adding that words matter.

He further emphasized, We're going to go on offence, not just on defence. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct. We're going to raise up warriors, not just defenders.

The Pentagon's website changed to war.gov late on Friday, along with the headline 'U.S. Department of War'.

The responsibility to create executive departments rests with the US Congress.

In August, Trump expressed confidence that Congress would support the idea if their support was needed.

Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey criticized the renaming as a childish idea, stating: Americans want to prevent wars, not tout them.

The Department of War was originally established by George Washington but was rebranded following World War Two.

Trump had previously floated the idea of the name change, arguing that the US has an unbelievable history of victory under the previous name.

The renaming marks the president's 200th executive order since taking office and follows China's recent military displays, interpreted as a challenge to the US and its allies.