The Secretary of Defense has hinted at a new designation for the Department of Defense, amidst indications that President Donald Trump plans to officially rename the Department by signing an Executive Order this Friday.
Upon departing Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Thursday, Hegseth told reporters, “Thank you for traveling with the War Department!”
Hegseth further alluded to the change, subsequently posting on social media and writing “” while sharing a news report confirming the impending name alteration.
TIME has sought a response from the White House regarding this matter.
Trump’s Executive Order is expected to permit Hegseth to adopt the title “Secretary of War” in official communications and public statements, as per a White House fact sheet seen by .
Other officials within the Department of Defense might also adopt similar designations, such as “Deputy Secretary of War.”
Changes to department names necessitate Congressional approval. Given that Republicans maintain narrow majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, significant opposition to Trump’s proposal is improbable.
Trump has previously expressed that the “Department of War” had a “better” and more robust sound.
“While defense is important, we also desire offense, … When it was the Department of War, we achieved victory in every conflict, we won everything, and I believe we should revert to that,” Trump informed reporters in the Oval Office on August 25.
During the 1940s, the Department of Defense received its present name, with departmental officials also being titled accordingly. This change was enacted as part of the National Security Act Amendments of 1949. Prior to this, the DOD was known as the Department of War.
The anticipated return to its previous designation marks the most recent in a series of nomenclature alterations implemented by the Trump Administration.
Soon after commencing his second term in the White House, Trump issued an Executive Order to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America.”
“I am greatly honored to declare February 9, 2025, as the inaugural Gulf of America Day,” Trump stated in a proclamation.
The Trump Administration proceeded to rename in June. These facilities were formerly designated after Confederate general officers, a change initiated under the Congressional Naming Commission and approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Biden Administration. Trump reversed these changes, restoring the names honoring Confederates.
The White House has not yet provided details on the estimated cost of re-branding the Department of Defense, though the expense is projected to be substantial, potentially involving a complete revision of emblems, email addresses, uniforms, and other associated items.
