Hegseth Unveils ‘Secretary of War’ Nameplate After Trump Renames Pentagon

Lead On Saturday in Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled a “Secretary of War” nameplate following President Trump’s executive order renaming the Department of Defense-and GOP lawmakers quickly moved to codify the change.

Nut Graf The symbolic rebranding, part of the administration’s “warrior ethos” campaign, emphasizes an offensive military posture. Within hours of the announcement, key Republicans introduced legislation to make the Department of War the Pentagon’s official title, underscoring the push-and-pull between executive action and congressional approval.

Legislative Push

• Republican Senators Scott (R-Fla.) and Lee (R-Utah) and Representative Steube (R-Fla.) filed a joint bill on Saturday to formalize the name change into law.
• The legislation mandates congressional approval within 60 days to ratify the new title.
• Supporters argue the renaming restores historical legacy dating to 1789, while opponents warn of legal overreach.

Cosmetic Overhaul Signs outside Hegseth’s office were replaced with new plaques reading “Secretary of War,” and the Pentagon’s website URL switched from defense.gov to war.gov. Trump promised updated stationery and email addresses to reflect the rebranding.

Sec. Hegseth’s Statement At the unveiling, Hegseth declared, “We’re going on offense, not just defense-raising up warriors, not just defenders,” framing the change as a restoration of military triumph rather than a mere semantic shift. He praised Trump’s directive as a message of strength and resolve.

Cost and Criticism Critics caution that renaming the department could incur millions in signage and stationery expenses. Some Democrats and moderate Republicans have signaled plans to challenge the rebrand, arguing that Congress should prioritize substantive defense policy over symbolic gestures.