Trump Resurrects 'Department of War' Name

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to officially rebrand the U.S. Department of Defense as the "Department of War," resurrecting a name that was last in use during the 1940s.

The executive action authorizes the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense, and related officials to use the title "Department of War," along with "Secretary of War" and "Deputy Secretary of War," in both official correspondence and public communications, according to a fact sheet from the White House.

Additionally, the order tasks Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth with recommending a set of actions — both legislative and executive — to ensure the renaming is made permanent. However, a complete legal shift would still require approval from Congress.

"Defense is too defensive," Trump remarked in the Oval Office last month. "And we want to be defensive, but we want to be offensive too if we have to be. So, it just sounded to me like a better name."

Hegseth has emphasized that the change is "not just about words — it’s about the warrior ethos." However, the move has faced strong opposition. Critics argue the rebranding could come with significant costs and risk overshadowing more pressing national security concerns.

U.S. Senator Andy Kim slammed the renaming as "a childish idea," stating, "Americans want to prevent wars, not tout them," according to a report from media.

The U.S. Department of War, originally established in 1789, oversaw the nation's military during both World Wars before being merged into the Department of Defense in the late 1940s.

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