President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to adopt the secondary name "Department of War," authorizing the Pentagon and its secretary to use the historic title while the administration pursues steps to make the change permanent.
The White House said the order permits Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be referred to as "Secretary of War" in official correspondence and public communications and instructs him to propose legislative and executive actions to cement the title as the United States' cabinet-level military agency. The fact sheet accompanying the order said it would allow alterations to public-facing websites and office signage at the Pentagon and outlined near-term changes such as renaming the public affairs briefing room the "Pentagon War Annex." The White House also said the order directs the secretary to develop implementation plans for other administrative and branding changes.
Speaking in the Oval Office at the signing, Trump said the rebranding "sends a message of victory, a message of strength" and argued the older name better reflected the nation's approach to military power. "We have the strongest military in the world," he said. Hegseth, flanking the president, described the change as restoring a "warrior ethos," saying the War Department would "go on offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct."
The move revives a name the United States used for nearly 160 years. The War Department, established under President George Washington, oversaw the nation's military forces until a post-World War II reorganization that produced the National Military Establishment and, later, the Department of Defense. The name "Department of Defense" was codified in law in 1949 under President Harry S. Truman.
Legal experts and lawmakers note that an executive order cannot, by itself, formally change the department's statutory name. Federal law enacted by Congress currently designates the agency as the Department of Defense; any permanent change would require congressional approval. The White House acknowledged that point, saying it would seek congressional action while also exploring administrative steps that could be taken under executive authority.
Practical considerations for a comprehensive rebranding are substantial. The department is the government's largest, with facilities and administrative infrastructure around the globe; changing signage, stationary and digital properties could involve significant expense. Reuters and other outlets have previously reported on costly military renamings, including a Biden administration plan to rename several Army bases that was estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars before it was shelved.
A White House official told Fox News Digital that implementing the order would entail changes to public-facing websites and office signage and that additional longer-term projects would follow. The administration has framed the effort as largely symbolic and part of a broader push to emphasize military readiness and a more assertive posture.
Critics warned that the renaming could signal a shift in U.S. military posture and messaging. Opinion writers and some national security analysts said the change risks endorsing a more bellicose stance and could complicate civilian-military relations and diplomatic messaging. Supporters, including supporters within the administration, argued the change merely restores historical terminology and reinforces a commitment to winning wars.
The executive order represents one of several recent moves by the administration aimed at reshaping military policy and rhetoric. The White House framed the action as an assertion of strength amid global tensions; opponents said it was a politically driven rebranding with limited legal effect. Administration officials said they would present the matter to Congress and work through the legislative process to make any name change permanent.
Trump signed the order Friday in the Oval Office with Hegseth beside him; White House aides described it as the president's 200th executive order. Until Congress acts, federal agencies and legal documents will retain the Department of Defense designation, while the Pentagon may adopt the new branding in public communications and signage as directed by the administration.