Trump Advances Plan to Rename Department of Defense to ‘Department of War’

The Trump administration is moving forward with efforts to restore the Pentagon’s original name — the Department of War. While a legal name change would require congressional approval, President Trump recently signed an executive order permitting the name “Department of War” to be used in ceremonial and executive contexts. Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) has introduced a bill to formalize the change as part of the annual defense policy legislation.

A Pentagon spokesperson stated that the new title better reflects the military’s offensive capabilities. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly supported the move, saying Trump believes the military should focus on “offense” rather than initiatives like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which he often criticizes as “woke ideology.”

Trump recently commented that the old name “had a stronger sound,” asserting that during the time it was called the War Department, the U.S. “won everything.” Historically, the Department of War existed from the country’s founding until 1947, when it was reorganized following World War II into the Department of Defense, along with the creation of the Air Force and other military branches.

In related developments, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), was dismissed after an intelligence leak suggested that U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities only caused minimal delays. The leak infuriated Trump, who claimed the nuclear sites were “completely destroyed.”

Critics argue the renaming effort is symbolic and politically driven, while supporters view it as a shift toward a more aggressive and assertive military posture.