Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has hinted that a major rebranding of the U.S. military’s top institution is imminent, as President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order that would allow the Department of Defense to be referred to once again as the “Department of War.”
Speaking to reporters while departing Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Thursday, Hegseth thanked them for “traveling with the War Department.” Later, he appeared to confirm the change on social media, reposting a news report about the move with the caption “Department of War.”
According to a White House fact sheet seen by Reuters, Trump’s order would authorize Hegseth to use the title “Secretary of War” in official correspondence and public communications. Other senior officials would also be able to adopt corresponding titles such as “Deputy Secretary of War.”
While a permanent name change would require an act of Congress, Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers, making approval more likely. Trump has argued repeatedly that the current title sounds too passive. “We want defense, but we want offense too,” he said in the Oval Office on August 25. “As Department of War we won everything, we won everything—and I think we’re going to have to go back to that.”
The United States originally operated a Department of War from its founding until the mid-20th century, when it was reorganized under the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 into what became the Department of Defense. The renaming reflected a shift toward a broader, more unified military structure that included the Army, Navy, and newly created Air Force.
If finalized, the reversion to the old name would represent one of the most symbolic rebranding efforts of Trump’s second term. It follows other controversial renaming decisions, including his proclamation earlier this year rechristening the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America.” In June, Trump also ordered the restoration of names honoring Confederate generals at seven U.S. Army bases, reversing changes enacted under the Biden administration.
Critics say that renaming the Department of Defense could come with an enormous price tag, requiring changes to official emblems, uniforms, signage, websites, and email systems across the vast federal bureaucracy. The White House has not provided a cost estimate, though officials privately acknowledge the expenses could be significant.
Supporters of the move, however, argue that it sends a stronger message of strength to both allies and adversaries. Hegseth, a former Army officer and Fox News host, has emphasized his commitment to restoring what he calls a “warrior ethos” at the Pentagon.
Whether Congress will ultimately approve a statutory renaming remains uncertain, but Trump’s executive order—expected Friday—would immediately allow the administration to use “Department of War” as an alternative title in official settings.
