Trump Under Fire for Executive Order Rebranding Pentagon as ‘Department of War

President Donald Trump has ignited controversy by signing an executive order instructing the Department of Defense to adopt the historical label “Department of War” as its secondary title in official and public communications, ceremonial settings, and internal documents.

This move is aimed at projecting a more aggressive and assertive stance for the U.S. military, a sentiment reflected in Trump’s assertion that “defense is too defensive,” emphasizing the need to be “offensive if we have to.”

Although the formal renaming of a federal agency requires Congressional approval, the order bypasses this requirement by permitting the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, and department officials to use the title “Secretary of War” for ceremonial and non-statutory purposes. A White House fact sheet suggests Hegseth advocate for legislation that would solidify the change permanently.

The initiative revives a name that the United States used until 1947, following the reorganization of military branches under the National Military Establishment and its subsequent renaming as the Department of Defense in 1949.

Critics have been swift and vocal in their response. Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Afghanistan war veteran who lost both legs in combat, called the rebranding “wasteful,” questioning the rationale of spending millions on changing letterheads, signage, and branding when that money could better support military families or diplomatic efforts to prevent conflict.

Despite the backlash, the administration remains determined to push forward with what its proponents describe as a “warrior ethos” campaign, part of a broader cultural pivot within the Pentagon. Whether Congress will formalize such a name change remains uncertain amid growing political and institutional resistance.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian.