Trump Administration Takes Formal Steps to Revive 'Department of War'

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A significant shift in the nomenclature of the United States' military oversight began to unfold on September 5, 2025, as President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order titled "Restoring the United States Department of War." The order, signed at the White House, immediately authorizes the use of the secondary title "Department of War" for the Department of Defense and "Secretary of War" for its top civilian leader, marking a decisive step towards rebranding an institution whose name has been "Department of Defense" since 1949.

This directive signals the administration's intention to restore a historical designation that, according to the President, better reflects the nation's commitment to "peace through strength" and its readiness to engage in conflict when necessary to protect national interests, thereby directly impacting how the world perceives American military might and purpose.

The Executive Order asserts that the initial establishment of the United States Department of War by President George Washington on August 7, 1789, 236 years prior, was intended to oversee military and naval affairs. Under this historical designation, along with the Department of the Navy, the nation's military reportedly achieved victories in significant conflicts such as the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, a legacy that, in the President's view, inspired "awe and confidence in our Nation's military, and ensuring freedom and prosperity for all Americans." The Founders' choice of "Department of War," the order states, was a deliberate signal of strength and resolve to the international community.

President Trump posits that the name "Department of War," more so than the contemporary "Department of Defense," intrinsically promotes "peace through strength," by demonstrating the nation's "ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our Nation at a moment's notice, not just to defend." This renaming, as per the order, is designed to sharpen the Department's focus on national interest and, crucially, to sharpen adversaries' focus on America's willingness and availability to wage war to secure what it deems its own. Consequently, the President has determined that the Department should revert to its historical appellation, and its head should once again be known as the Secretary of War.

In terms of immediate implementation, Section 2 of the Executive Order outlines a series of authorizations and directives.

The Secretary of Defense is now permitted to use the additional secondary title of "Secretary of War" and may be recognized by this title in various official capacities. This includes official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial contexts, and non-statutory documents within the executive branch. Similarly, the Department of Defense and the Office of the Secretary of Defense may be referred to as the Department of War and the Office of the Secretary of War, respectively, within these same specified contexts.

The provisions of this section extend to subordinate officials within the Department of Defense, allowing them to adopt corresponding secondary titles such as Deputy Secretary of War or Under Secretary of War in the outlined official settings. All executive departments and agencies are mandated to recognize and accommodate the use of these secondary titles in both internal and external communications, with the crucial caveat that such usage must not create confusion regarding legal, statutory, or international obligations.

It is important to note that, as per the Executive Order, statutory references to the Department of Defense, Secretary of Defense, and their subordinate officers and components will remain controlling until such a time that they are altered by subsequent law.

This implies that while the secondary titles are immediately authorized for use, a full, permanent statutory renaming would require further legislative action. To this end, the Executive Order sets out specific timelines for action. Within 30 days of the order's signing, the Secretary of War is directed to submit a notification to the President, via the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, for transmittal to Congress.

This notification must detail any office, executive department or agency, component, or command that commences using a secondary "Department of War" designation. Furthermore, within 60 days of the order's date, the Secretary of War is required to submit a recommendation to the President, again through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, outlining the necessary actions to permanently change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. This recommendation must encompass the proposed legislative and executive actions essential to achieve this renaming.

The Executive Order also includes general provisions to clarify its scope and limitations. Section 3 stipulates that nothing within the order should be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by law to any executive department or agency or its head, nor the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget pertaining to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. The order is to be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

Importantly, the order explicitly states that it is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, whether substantive or procedural, that is enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. Finally, the costs associated with the publication of this Executive Order are to be borne by the Department of War itself.

This executive action comes after months, if not years, of the Trump administration reportedly considering such a change. As previously reported by the Wall Street Journal, the White House had been actively drawing up plans to rebrand the Department of Defense, resurrecting a name last used in 1947.

President Trump has consistently advocated for this idea since taking office, expressing his belief that the old name possesses a "stronger sound" and is less "politically correct" than its current iteration. He was quoted stating, "As Department of War, we won everything. We won everything… I think we’re going to have to go back to that." During a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, President Trump further remarked that the old name "has a stronger sound" and indicated that the change might occur "over the next week or so."

The Wall Street Journal had also reported that the Pentagon began developing legislative proposals for such a rebranding early in President Trump's second term. One proposal under consideration involved seeking congressional authority to restore the former name during a national emergency, which would also revive the title of "secretary of war" for the department's top civilian leader.

The historical context of the U.S. military's civilian oversight reveals a significant evolution. The Department of War was initially established in 1789 to manage the Army, while a separate Department of the Navy oversaw naval forces. Following the conclusion of World War II, President Harry S. Truman initiated efforts to unify the armed forces, leading Congress to enact legislation in 1947 that created the National Military Establishment.

This new organization was designed to merge the War and Navy Departments with the newly independent Air Force under the authority of a single civilian Secretary of Defense. This unification, however, faced substantial opposition at the time, particularly from the Department of the Navy, which was concerned about losing its independent status. In 1949, Congress eventually discarded the National Military Establishment name, rebranding it as the Department of Defense and simultaneously granting the cabinet-level secretary greater authority.

This increase in authority itself sparked concerns, with some, as cited in a 1949 news report by the Journal, worrying that the position could potentially evolve into that of a "military dictator."

President Trump’s stated concern, as reported, is that the current title lacks sufficient bellicosity. In April, he was quoted saying, "They changed it when we became a little bit politically correct." The President also raised this idea at a NATO summit in June, remarking, "It used to be called Secretary of War. Maybe we’ll have to start thinking about changing it."

This sentiment was reportedly echoed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who, during a cabinet meeting, commented that the name Department of Defense "just doesn’t sound right." The Executive Order signed on September 5, 2025, therefore represents the formalization of a long-contemplated administrative and symbolic shift, underscoring the President's vision for how the nation's military posture and identity should be presented to both its citizens and the world.