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President Trump wants to enhance the image of America’s strength and military readiness by renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 5 to rename the US Department of Defense to the Department of War. This is his 200th executive order since taking office.
“The name ‘Department of War’ will convey a stronger message of determination and combat readiness than the name ‘Department of Defense’, which emphasizes defense capabilities,” the executive order said.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order at the White House on September 5. Photo: AFP
The order directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to propose legislative and executive actions necessary to make the Department of War its official name, as Trump cannot unilaterally change the name of a department without congressional approval.
The creation of executive agencies is under the authority of the US Congress, so any changes to the names of these agencies require an amended resolution passed by Congress.
However, Trump’s order allows the US Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense to use the secondary titles of “Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War” within the Department of War.
The move shows that President Trump is trying to reshape the military to suit his goals. Through the name change, he wants to evoke a strong image and send a message that the US is ready to act firmly with military force in the face of any challenge.
George Washington, the first president and founding father of the United States, established the Department of War in 1789 to manage the army. In 1798, President John Adams established the Department of the Navy, which was responsible for the navy and marines.
This structure of the US military remained in place until 1947, two years after World War II. President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act into law, merging the newly created Departments of War, Navy, and Air Force into the National Defense Agency, under the leadership of a civilian official.
Truman said his goal was to “unify the armed forces in a single department” and not subordinate any branch to another. In 1949, he renamed the National Defense Agency the Department of Defense.
Richard H. Kohn, a professor emeritus of military history at the University of North Carolina, said Truman’s decision to change the name was intended to reflect the Department of Defense’s expanding missions, including warfighting, foreign affairs, intelligence, and, above all, national security.
“In the early days of the nuclear age, the new name also reflected a desire to avoid war,” Kohn said. “It was clearly not a political decision, but a message to the world that the United States does not wage war, focuses on defense, and, if necessary, has four combat forces.”
The US Department of Defense building in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP
But since taking office for a second term, Trump has increasingly sought to strengthen the military’s role and missions at home and abroad. He has ordered the Air Force to conduct airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, sent Navy warships to attack “drug boats” off the coast of Venezuela, and deployed the National Guard to several cities across the country to fight crime.
President Trump first raised the idea of renaming the Department of War in late August, saying the change would evoke the military victories the US had won.
“The Department of Defense used to be called the Department of War, which is a much more powerful name. As you know, we won World War I, World War II. And now we have a Department of Defense, with defense people,” Trump said at the White House on August 25.
Trump later said the name of the Department of Defense was changed for the sake of “political correctness,” a term often used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid disadvantaging certain groups in society.
According to the White House owner, the word “defense” has an “overly passive” connotation. He wants the US to “not only defend, but also be on the offensive if forced to act.”
“The United States military is the strongest and most skilled fighting force in the world. The President believes the Department of Defense should have a name that reflects the overwhelming strength and determination of the United States military to protect our national interests,” the White House statement said.
President Trump and Mr. Hegseth also said that the US Department of Defense is indulging in “woke ideology” and focusing too much on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Conservatives consider DEI to be a left-wing ideology with inappropriate content about race, gender, or politics.
The Trump administration has said that this has undermined the morale and mission of the military under former President Joe Biden. Hegseth said that transforming the Pentagon into the Department of War is “not just a change of words, but a manifestation of the warrior spirit.”
The change is somewhat inconsistent with President Trump’s goal for the military of “bringing peace through strength,” but it is consistent with his slogan of “Making America Great Again,” The Times commented.
US President Donald Trump (right) and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the White House on August 11. Photo: AFPUS President Donald Trump (right) and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the White House on August 11. Photo: AFP
It is unclear whether President Trump’s effort will succeed, as renaming departments in the US is rare and requires congressional review.
Mr. Trump has the advantage of a narrow Republican majority in both houses of Congress, and no Republican has yet expressed opposition. Representative James Comer, a Trump ally, has introduced a bill that would make it easier for the US president to restructure and rename government agencies.
The renaming also raises concerns about the cost, estimated at tens of millions of dollars, because the move would require changing signs and administrative documents at the Department of Defense and US bases around the world. Critics say the renaming plan is not only expensive but also an unnecessary distraction for the Pentagon.
Katherine Kuzminski, director of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) policy institute, said the renaming would not affect the authority or structure of the US Department of Defense.
“However, the language change could complicate Mr. Hegseth’s efforts to define the Department of Defense’s role in relation to domestic missions. Continuing to deploy the National Guard to perform border security or immigration policy support under the name of the Department of War could create political, cognitive or legal challenges to the Department of Defense name,” Mr. Kuzminski noted.