Trump to sign executive order Friday allowing Pentagon to adopt “Department of War” as a secondary title.
The name was used from 1789 until 1949, when it became the Department of Defense.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump say the change reflects a stronger, more offensive military posture.
President Donald Trump is set to revive a historic name for the Pentagon, rebranding the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.”
The White House confirmed, as cited by The Gurdian, that Trump will sign an executive order on Friday authorizing the Pentagon to use “Department of War” as a secondary title. A complete legal renaming, however, would still require congressional approval.
The original Department of War was established in 1789 and remained in place until 1947, when President Harry Truman reorganized the military into separate departments for the Army, Navy, and newly formed Air Force. In 1949, the Defense Department received its current name.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been a vocal supporter of the change. On Thursday, he posted “DEPARTMENT OF WAR” in all caps on X, celebrating the move. Accoridng to Earlier this year, Hegseth even ran an online poll asking if the Pentagon should return to its old title.
According to The Washington Post, Trump has repeatedly said he prefers the term “Department of War,” arguing that it projects strength and reflects both defensive and offensive military capabilities. “I think ‘Department of War’ just sounded better,” Trump said last month. “We want defense, but we want offense too… as Department of War, we won everything.”
The rebranding is part of Trump’s broader push to reshape the image of the U.S. military, emphasizing power and victory over what he views as the softer connotations of “defense.
