WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump signed his 200th executive order on Saturday, authorizing the Department of Defense (DOD) to adopt “Department of War” as an official secondary title,signaling a shift in military messaging.
“I think it’s a much more appropriate name, especially in light of where the world is right now. We have the strongest military in the world,” Trump said, before signing the order.
Under the order, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other DOD officials are permitted to use terms like “Secretary of War” and “Deputy Secretary of War” in public speeches, ceremonial events, inter-agency communications, and non-binding executive documents.
The order also directs all federal agencies to accommodate these secondary titles in both internal and external correspondence. Additionally, Secretary Hegseth is tasked with evaluating and recommending further actions, including legislative proposals, that could lead to a permanent renaming of the department, according to the fact sheet released by the White House.
According to the White House, the title “Department of War” is intended to reflect a posture of strength and deterrence.
“The term ‘Department of War’ signals a clear commitment to readiness and the protection of national interests,” the fact sheet states. “It serves as a reminder to allies and adversaries alike of America’s willingness to use force when necessary.”
President Trump emphasized the historical significance of the name during the signing ceremony.
“This is something we’ve discussed for a long time,” Trump said. “When it was the War Department, we won two world wars. Since the switch to ‘Defense,’ our conflicts have become prolonged and indecisive.”
Secretary Hegseth said that renaming the department is about more than semantics.
“We changed the name after World War II, and we haven’t clearly won a major war since,” he said. “This change is about restoring clarity of purpose. Words matter.”
Hegseth went further, saying that the modern military must be unambiguous in its mission.
“This is about decisive victory, not endless engagement. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct,” he declared.
The Department of War, as it was once called, was first established by President George Washington when he founded the country’s Army. But the name was later changed in 1949.
President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act in 1947, when the War Department merged with the Navy Department and the newly created Air Force under the National Security Act. The new entity became the National Military Establishment, later renamed the Department of Defense.
Agencies