US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Friday reintroducing the historic title “Department of War” as a secondary designation for the Pentagon, Fox News Digital reports.
The move is part of the administration’s broader “warrior ethos” campaign aimed at reshaping military culture.
A White House official confirmed the order will authorize the use of “Secretary of War” for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and instruct him to pursue legislative and executive actions to make the change permanent.
Public-facing Pentagon materials, including signage and websites, will be updated accordingly. The public affairs briefing room will be renamed the “Pentagon War Annex.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to confirm the move by sharing to her X account a link to a report on the impending executive order.
Trump mentioned his renaming plans during a conversation with reporters last week, 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.”
Later reports indicated that the Trump administration is advancing the plans to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War
The Department of War was the official name of the US military agency until 1949, when it was changed under the National Security Act of 1947.