President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that will revive the Pentagon’s old title, the Department of War. A White House official confirmed the move to Fox News Digital, saying it is part of Trump’s “warrior ethos” campaign to reshape military culture.
Under the order, both names — Department of Defense and Department of War — will be valid. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may also be addressed as Secretary of War. Trump has directed Hegseth to draft proposals that could make the name change permanent in the future.
Pentagon Rebranding Under Trump
The rebranding will affect multiple areas of the Pentagon. Signs, websites, and even the main press room will be updated. The media briefing space will be renamed the “Pentagon War Annex”, with more long-term changes expected.
Trump and Hegseth Support the Move
Trump has recently hinted at the name change, pointing to America’s past military victories.
“Everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was the Department of War,” Trump said on August 25. “Then we changed it to Department of Defence.”
Hegseth echoed Trump’s reasoning, saying the new title better matches the administration’s vision for the armed forces.
“We won WWI and WWII not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department,” Hegseth said on Fox & Friends. “We’re not just defense, we’re offense. We want warriors, people who know how to win on the battlefield. Words and names matter.”
History of the Department of War
The Department of War was the official title of America’s military leadership until 1949. After reforms under the National Security Act of 1947, the Pentagon was renamed the Department of Defense to reflect its expanded structure, which included the Army, Navy, and the newly created Air Force.
If finalized, Trump’s order would bring the first major symbolic change to the Pentagon’s identity in more than seven decades.
