U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday renaming the Department of Defence as the “Department of War,” reviving a title last used in the aftermath of World War Two.
Trump said the move reflected a new “attitude” for the U.S. military.
“It’s a very important change, because it’s an attitude,” he said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
“It’s really about winning.”
The Pentagon quickly changed signage at its Arlington headquarters, adjusting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s title to “Secretary of War” and that of his deputy, Steve Feinberg, to “Deputy Secretary of War.” Hegseth, who has long pushed for the rebrand, said, “We’re going to go on the offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality.”
The War Department title was dropped in 1949 when Congress consolidated the Army, Navy and newly created Air Force in the wake of World War Two. Historians say the change was designed to highlight a focus on conflict prevention in the nuclear age.
Trump’s decision adds to a string of controversial moves to reshape the Pentagon. He has restored the original names of U.S. military bases changed after 2020 racial justice protests, staged a military parade in Washington, and ordered troops to support border enforcement and domestic security operations.
The order instructs Hegseth to recommend further executive and legislative measures needed to make the renaming permanent.
While department name changes traditionally require congressional approval, Trump suggested he may not need a vote. Still, Republican Senators Mike Lee and Rick Scott, along with House member Greg Steube, introduced legislation on Friday to enshrine the change.
Renaming the Pentagon will be costly, requiring updates across military installations worldwide. A previous effort under President Joe Biden to strip Confederate names from nine Army bases was expected to cost $39 million before Hegseth reversed it earlier this year.
Critics argue the new change is an unnecessary distraction.
Supporters frame the shift as a symbolic restoration.Hegseth has said that changing the name is "not just about words — it's about the warrior ethos."
Former Pentagon official and current FBI Director Kash Patel recalled using the “War Department” phrase in correspondence during Trump’s first term.
“I view it as a tribute to the history and heritage of the Department of Defence,” Patel said in 2021.
Trump, who had floated the idea as early as June, said the Defence Department name was originally altered to be “politically correct.” He added, “We’re just going to do it. I’m sure Congress will go along if we need that … Defence is too defensive. We want to be defensive, but we want to be offensive too if we have to be.”
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, wit...
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukr...
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasef...
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after thieves broke in and stole “priceless” jewellery from the Napoleon collection, the French go...
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he is not afraid of going to prison, days before beginning a five-year sentence over his 2007 campaign fi...
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasefire came under renewed strain.
This September, I had a chance to visit Yerevan for the 108th edition of the Rose-Roth seminar, traditionally held by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly since 1990 and intended for post-socialist countries.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after thieves broke in and stole “priceless” jewellery from the Napoleon collection, the French government said.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he is not afraid of going to prison, days before beginning a five-year sentence over his 2007 campaign financing case linked to Libya.
Millions of Americans took to the streets for “No Kings” rallies across all 50 states, denouncing what they called the corruption and authoritarianism of President Donald Trump.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment