Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to rename the Department of Defense back to its original title, the “Department of War.” According to international media reports, Trump is expected to sign an executive order to initiate the change.
Citing a White House official, the Associated Press reported that Trump plans to move forward with the proposal to officially rename the Pentagon. The Department of War was first established in 1789, the same year the U.S. Constitution came into effect.
In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, the department was renamed the Department of Defense. Trump’s plan is viewed as an effort to present the U.S. military with a stronger and more aggressive image.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has already shown his support by posting “Department of War” on social media. Earlier this year, he conducted a public poll on the idea. While the executive order could begin the process, an official name change would still require approval from Congress. Reports indicate Trump is preparing to introduce the proposal in the legislature.
Trump and Hegseth believe restoring the original name would both project U.S. military strength and revive the historic memory of America’s role in World War I and World War II.
