The Trump administration is advancing plans to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a title last used in 1947, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
A White House official confirmed the initiative, which reflects President Trump’s long-standing desire to restore the historic name.
Trump mentioned his plans during a conversation with reporters this past Monday, saying, “As Department of War, we won everything. We won everything. I think we’re going to have to go back to that.”
The President also hinted at the time that he plans to proceed with the change regardless of congressional approval.
When a reporter noted that such a move requires an Act of Congress, he stated, "We're just going to do it. I'm sure Congress will go along if we need that."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s sentiment during a cabinet meeting, saying the term “Defense Department just doesn’t sound right.”
According to the WSJ report, the Pentagon began drafting legislative proposals early in Trump’s second term. One idea included seeking congressional approval to reinstate the name during a national emergency, along with reviving the title “Secretary of War” for the department’s top civilian.
The Department of War, established in 1789, originally oversaw the Army, while the Navy and Marines operated under a separate department. In 1947, President Truman merged the services into the National Military Establishment, later renamed the Department of Defense in 1949.