Trump renames Department of Defense as “Department of War”
US President Donald Trump has announced that the Department of Defense will be rebranded as the Department of War, a move the White House says is meant to project American power on the global stage.
Trump signed an executive order authorizing the change, calling the new name “a return to strength and honesty.” The Pentagon, which was officially renamed the Department of Defense in 1949, last carried the “War” title during World War II.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will now hold the title of “Secretary of War” in official communications, though Congress must approve a full legal name change.
Critics argue the rebrand is largely symbolic and could lead to unnecessary costs, while supporters say it reflects a tougher foreign policy stance.