Trump Signs Order Restoring Department of War Title
Sept. 5, 2025 | Washington, D.C. – President Donald J. Trump signed his 200th executive order today, authorizing the Defense Department to use the historic title Department of War as a secondary name.
Details of the Executive Order
The order allows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials to use terms such as “Department of War,” “Secretary of War,” and “Deputy Secretary of War” in official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial events, and non-statutory documents.
It also directs all federal agencies to recognize these secondary titles in internal and external communications. In addition, the order instructs Hegseth to propose measures — including potential executive and legislative actions — needed to permanently rename the department.
According to a White House fact sheet, the title “Department of War” projects greater resolve and readiness than “Department of Defense,” which highlights only defensive operations.
“Restoring the name will sharpen the department’s focus on national interests and signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war if necessary,” the fact sheet stated.
Trump and Hegseth Defend the Change
Before signing the order, Trump explained that the decision followed months of discussion. He argued that the U.S. secured victories in both world wars under the War Department but often settled for stalemates after the department became the Defense Department.
“This is something we’ve thought long and hard about,” Trump said.
Hegseth supported that view, noting, “We changed the name after World War II, and we haven’t won a major war since. This is not just about renaming — it’s about restoring. Words matter.”
He emphasized that the War Department must fight to win, not settle for drawn-out conflicts. “Maximum lethality, not tepid legality; violent effect, not politically correct,” he said.
Historical Background
Congress created the War Department on Aug. 7, 1789, the same year the Constitution took effect. It replaced the Revolutionary War-era Board of War and Ordnance and initially oversaw both the Army and Navy. In 1798, the Navy Department was established separately.
The first secretary of war was retired Gen. Henry Knox, appointed by President George Washington. Fort Knox, Kentucky, was later named in his honor.
In 1800, a fire destroyed the War Department building in Washington, eliminating all its records. During the Civil War, the department managed recruitment, training, supply, transportation, pay, and medical care for two million soldiers.
The name Department of War remained in use for more than 150 years. In 1947, it merged with the Navy and the newly created Air Force to form the National Military Establishment, which was later renamed the Department of Defense.
Prominent secretaries of war included James Monroe, John Calhoun, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert Todd Lincoln, and William Howard Taft — all of whom went on to hold higher office.
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