Department of Defense to Be Renamed “Department of War,” Officials Say

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2025 - In a move that would mark a return to its pre-Cold War title, senior U.S. defense officials signaled today that the Department of Defense is poised to reclaim its historical name, the Department of War.

During a White House press briefing on Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that plans “are on the horizon” to restore the agency’s original designation. He declined to offer a timeline for the change but noted that discussions with legal advisers and congressional leaders were already underway.

President Donald Trump, present at the briefing, explained his personal preference for the older title. “Department of Defense, I don’t want to be just defense,” he said. “We need defense, but we also require offense. It used to be known as the Department of War, and that had a more powerful connotation. As you know, we triumphed in World War I. We triumphed in World War II. We’ve won every conflict.”

The name Department of War was used from 1789 until the National Security Act of 1947 reorganized the nation’s military structure. In 1949, Congress renamed the agency the Department of Defense to reflect its integrated war-fighting, intelligence and support missions.

Mr. Hegseth acknowledged that formal renaming could require legislative approval. “We’re exploring whether an executive-branch directive can enact the change or if we need a statute,” he said. “Our goal is to capture both the defensive and offensive capabilities that safeguard the nation.”

Legal experts say a statutory amendment to the National Security Act would almost certainly be necessary. Congress has not formally amended the department’s name since it created the National Military Establishment in 1947 and renamed it the Department of Defense two years later.

Debate over the proposal is expected to begin in key congressional committees in the coming weeks. Defense analysts say supporters see the revert as a nod to America’s military victories, while critics warn it could signal an unnecessarily bellicose posture at a time of escalating global tensions.

Implications and Next Steps

• The Pentagon’s public affairs office has been instructed to prepare briefing materials on the historical evolution of the department’s name and structure.

• Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are weighing the proposal’s symbolic impact against potential legislative hurdles.

• The administration has not yet announced whether uniform insignia, agency seals or stationery will change concurrently with the renaming.

As deliberations advance, the White House indicated that a formal announcement on the Department of War designation could come “over the next couple of weeks.”