US President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order that will rename the US Department of Defense, or Pentagon, the Department of War, the BBC reports.
The order will be signed on the 5th of September, and will also rename US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as Secretary of War. The Pentagon, which manages the US Armed Forces, is the direct successor to the Department of War. It was the first official department, established in 1789 and existed until 1947.
The creation of departments is the responsibility of the US Congress, which means that changing the name of the department will require legislative amendments. The order, seen by the BBC, says the name “War Department” conveys a stronger message of readiness and capability than “Defense Department.”
In an effort to convey strength and resolve, the order will allow the defense secretary, the department and its subordinate officials to use the new additional titles. The order says Hegseth must move toward a final, official name change, as Trump cannot rename the department alone without congressional approval.
Returning to the original name would allow the department to focus on protecting national interests,
and would send a message to America’s enemies that America is prepared to go to war to protect its interests.
The White House has not yet said how much the renaming of the department would cost, but US media estimates the price tag could run into billions of dollars, as it would require changing the names, logos, email addresses, uniforms and more of hundreds of agencies. This could hamper the Pentagon’s efforts to cut costs and eliminate waste.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of changing the department’s name, saying that US history is incredibly full of victories. The president has also expressed optimism about the likely support of officials for the decision. Trump, along with Hegseth, is trying to bring back the fighting spirit and soldierly ethics to the department, which they say has been too preoccupied with equality and inclusive programs.
The US president denied on the 4th of September that he was seeking the Nobel Peace Prize. He told CBS News that all he could do was end the war. Trump stressed that he was not seeking attention, but only wanted to save lives.
While the ministry’s renaming is not entirely unexpected, the announcement comes on the heels of China’s notable military parade, which showcased the new weapons.
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