President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Friday to rename the US Department of Defence as the Department of War, according to White House officials.
The move, aimed at &ldquo;restoring historical clarity,&rdquo; underscores a shift toward a more combat-oriented military ethos and what the administration calls a &ldquo;warrior mindset&rdquo; for America&rsquo;s armed forces.
Previewing the change last month, Trump said: &ldquo;We call it the Department of Defence, but between us, I think we're gonna change the name. We won World War I, World War II - it was called the Department of War, and to me, that's really what it is.&rdquo;
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has voiced strong support. &ldquo;We won WWI and we won WWII, not with the Department of Defence, but with a War Department&hellip; We're not just defence, we're offence. We're re-establishing the warrior ethos,&rdquo; he told reporters recently.
The order will direct Hegseth to begin immediate rollout measures such as updating Pentagon signage and online platforms, while also preparing legislative steps to make the change permanent. On Thursday, Hegseth reposted a Fox News report on X with the emphatic caption: &ldquo;DEPARTMENT OF WAR.&rdquo;
The Department of War, established in 1789, oversaw military affairs until 1947, when the National Security Act under President Harry Truman reorganised the armed forces. Two years later, Congress renamed it the Department of Defence, reflecting a post&ndash;World War II emphasis on deterrence and national security.
The rebranding fits within Trump&rsquo;s second-term military reforms. Hegseth has already rolled back several Biden-era naming decisions, including reverting bases such as Fort Bragg and Fort Hood to their historic titles, though officially dedicating them to different individuals. He also ordered the renaming of a Navy oiler that had been named after gay rights activist and Navy veteran Harvey Milk.
While the executive order can trigger immediate symbolic changes, a full legal renaming of the Pentagon will ultimately require Congressional approval. [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

Trump to Rename Pentagon as Department of War

Trump orders renaming of Pentagon, reviving historic title to stress a combat-first ethos

Trump to Rename Pentagon as Department of War

Trump orders renaming of Pentagon, reviving historic title to stress a combat-first ethos

September 5, 2025 | 15:20 IST