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.”
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