Proposed Name Change for Pentagon to 'Department of War' Sparks Debate

Image: The Telegraph Online

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order to rename the Department of Defense to the "Department of War." The move would revert the agency to its original name, which it held until 1949.

According to a White House fact sheet, the new name is intended to project a stronger message of "readiness and resolve" and signal to adversaries that the U.S. is prepared to wage war to secure its interests. The order would also allow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use the title "Secretary of War."

While the executive order would permit the use of the new name as a "secondary title," a permanent change would require legislative action from Congress. 

This action, which would require both presidential and congressional approval to become permanent, is one of several name changes the administration has pursued for places and institutions.

The order instructs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to outline the necessary steps to make the change official. While such departmental name changes are rare, Trump's allies hold majorities in Congress and have not opposed his previous initiatives.

The Department of Defense was known as the War Department until 1949, when the Army, Navy, and Air Force were consolidated after World War II. According to historians, the name was changed to signal a new focus on preventing conflicts in the nuclear age.

The proposed change has drawn criticism, with opponents arguing it is a costly and unnecessary distraction. The rebranding would require updating countless signs and official documents at military installations globally. For context, a previous effort to rename nine military bases cost an estimated $39 million.

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, a military veteran, criticized the move, stating, "Trump would rather use our military to score political points than to strengthen our national security."

Supporters, however, argue the change is about restoring a "warrior ethos." Hegseth has stated the renaming is not just about words but a reflection of this principle. 

The idea has been in the works for some time; for instance, FBI Director Kash Patel, during his previous role at the Pentagon, used an email signature that included "the War Department" as a tribute to its history.

Trump himself has publicly supported the change, saying the name "Defense is too defensive" and that the country needs to be "offensive too if we have to be." He suggested the original name change was an act of "political correctness." A bill introduced by a key Republican ally, Representative James Comer, could streamline the process for the president to reorganize and rename agencies.