President Donald Trump is moving to reintroduce the historic “Department of War” title for the Pentagon, a change that would mark the first major rebranding of the U.S. military’s leadership structure in more than seven decades.
According to an Associated Press report, Trump plans to sign an executive order that allows the Department of Defense to use “Department of War” as an official secondary name, while referring to the Pentagon chief as the “Secretary of War.” The legal title of the department, however, would remain unchanged unless Congress enacts legislation.
The War Department was established in 1789 and retained that name until it was reorganized under the National Security Act of 1947 and later renamed the Department of Defense in 1949. Trump and his advisors argue that the “Defense” designation projects an overly passive posture.
“We won World War I and World War II, not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, according to Fox News. Trump echoed the sentiment, telling reporters that the name restoration honors what he called “an unbelievable history of victory.”
The Guardian reported that the order would permit the new name to be used in official correspondence, signage, and ceremonial functions. Among the changes under consideration is renaming the Pentagon press briefing space to the “War Annex.”
Reuters noted that while the executive order paves the way for symbolic use of the new title, the department remains legally the Department of Defense. Trump has suggested Congress may not need to take further action but has indicated he expects lawmakers to cooperate if required.
Critics have raised concerns about the potential cost of updating signage, branding, and government communications, citing the expenses tied to the renaming of military bases in recent years.
The rebranding push comes as the Trump administration seeks to emphasize a more aggressive military posture and roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the Pentagon, according to the Associated Press.