US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on Friday that directs the Department of Defense to be known as the Department of War.
The move would restore a name the agency last held in the 1940s and, according to the text of the order seen by the BBC, the aim is to “project strength and resolve.”
The department will initially use the new name as a “secondary title” while the administration seeks congressional approval to make the change permanent.
The White House is yet to say how much a rebrand would cost, but US media expect a billion-dollar price tag for the overhaul of hundreds of agencies, emblems, email addresses and uniforms.
The Department of Defense (DoD) – which oversees the US armed services – is the successor to the War Department, which was first established as a cabinet-level agency in 1789 and existed until 1947.
The executive order says: “The name ‘Department of War’ conveys a stronger message of readiness and resolve compared to ‘Department of Defense,’ which emphasizes only defensive capabilities.”
The order says Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will be known as secretary of war. It instructs him to recommend and include legislative and executive actions to move towards a permanent renaming of the department.
The responsibility of creating executive departments rests with the US Congress.
In August, Trump told reporters he was confident Congress would support the idea – if their support was needed.
BBC
