U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Friday that will rebrand the Department of Defense (DoD) as the Department of War, reviving a name last used more than seven decades ago.
According to the text of the order, seen by the BBC, the move is designed to “project strength and resolve” and shift the Pentagon’s emphasis toward warfighting rather than defense.
Initially, the “Department of War” will serve as a secondary title, while the administration pursues congressional approval to make the change permanent.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would officially become the Secretary of War, tasked with recommending legislative and executive steps needed to formalize the renaming.
While the White House has yet to disclose the full cost of the rebranding, U.S. media estimate it could run into billions of dollars, given the need to update agency signage, emblems, email systems, and uniforms across the military.
The War Department was first established in 1789 under President George Washington and retained its name until 1947, when it was reorganized as the Department of Defense in the aftermath of World War II.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the old name better reflects America’s “unbelievable history of victory” and conveys a stronger sense of power than the current title.
Critics, however, say the move sends the wrong message. Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey dismissed the plan as “childish,” arguing that “Americans want to prevent wars, not tout them.”
The order comes as Trump and Hegseth push to reshape the Pentagon’s focus, emphasizing a “warrior ethos” and combat readiness while rolling back what they describe as excessive attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The announcement also follows China’s high-profile military parade, in which Beijing unveiled new weapons and drones—a display widely interpreted as a direct message to Washington and its allies.
Despite the controversy, Trump has expressed confidence that Congress will support the renaming, if its approval is required. The move marks the 200th executive order of his presidency.
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