Trump Wants to Rename U.S. Department of Defense to "Department of War"

According to a report on August 26 by the Military Times website, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated on the 25th that a plan to rename the Department of Defense he leads to the "Department of War" is "forthcoming." However, it remains unclear whether the executive branch can take such action without congressional approval.

Hegseth addressed the deployment of the National Guard throughout Washington, D.C., and the U.S.-Mexico border during a White House press conference that day. In response to his remarks, U.S. President Trump expressed appreciation for the military but complained that the name "Department of Defense" "doesn't sound right."

The United States used "Department of War" as the name of its military management agency from 1789 to 1947. In 1949, as the U.S. military underwent a large-scale reorganization, the agency was renamed to the current "Department of Defense."

This name change originated from the National Security Act of 1947, which was passed by both houses of Congress. The act also established the position of Secretary of Defense. It is currently unclear whether changing the name of this military agency will trigger congressional opposition or legal challenges.

However, Trump has frequently mentioned the idea of restoring the old name "Department of War" and has repeatedly referred to Hegseth as the "Secretary of War."

The Trump administration has also taken radical measures in other areas of federal government reform, including shutting down a series of government agencies and significantly reducing the number of federal employees.

However, while implementing streamlining policies, the White House has proposed increasing the number of active-duty military personnel, emphasizing that this is a necessary measure to ensure future national security.