President Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 5, directing the Department of Defense to adopt the secondary title of “Department of War,” reviving a name that was last used in the 1940s.
The original Department of War was established by President George Washington in August 1789, just months after the Constitution was ratified. The department served as the cabinet-level agency responsible for overseeing military affairs for 158 years, from 1789 to 1947. Under this name, the United States fought and won the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.
The name change from “Department of War” to “Department of Defense” occurred in 1947 under President Harry Truman through the National Security Act. This was part of a comprehensive reorganization that unified the Army, Navy, and the newly created Air Force under a single cabinet-level defense secretary. The National Military Establishment was later renamed to the Department of Defense in 1949.
Trump’s executive order establishes “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Department of Defense, allowing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use titles such as “Secretary of War” in official correspondence, public communications, and ceremonial contexts. The order specifically states that statutory references to the Department of Defense remain controlling until changed by law.
The order requires all executive departments and agencies to recognize and accommodate the use of secondary “war” titles in internal and external communications. Within 30 days, the Secretary of War must notify Congress of any components adopting the secondary designation, and within 60 days, must submit recommendations for permanently changing the name.
This executive order cannot formally rename the department; that requires Congressional approval.
Media reports estimate the full rebranding could cost over $1 billion, with some sources suggesting it could reach several billion dollars. The Pentagon operates more than 700,000 facilities across 40 countries and all 50 states that would need updated seals, signage, and branding.
The scope of changes required includes:
- Letterhead for six military branches and dozens of agencies
- Employee uniforms and official insignia
- Digital systems, websites, and email addresses
- Embossed items ranging from official documents to cafeteria napkins
- Signage at military bases worldwide
- Pentagon store merchandise and souvenirs
For comparison, President Biden’s effort to rename nine Army bases that honored Confederate figures cost approximately $39 million to $62.5 million, a project that Hegseth later reversed earlier this year.
The Pentagon moved swiftly to implement the secondary branding, redirecting defense.gov to war.gov and changing social media accounts to reflect the “Department of War” designation. Signs around Hegseth’s office were also changed to display “The Office of the Secretary of War.”
Trump and Hegseth have justified the name change as part of restoring a “warrior ethos” to the military. Trump argued that the military had become “too woke” and that reverting to the historical name would project strength to adversaries.
Hegseth said at the signing ceremony, “So at your direction, Mr. President, the War Department is going to fight decisively, not endless conflicts. It’s going to fight to win, not, not to lose. We’re going to go on offense, not just on defense, maximum lethality, not tepid legality violent effect, not politically correct. We’re going to raise up warriors, not just defenders.”
