The administration is moving to restore the Pentagon’s historic label by allowing “Department of War” to be used as an official secondary title, with the president set to sign an executive order on Friday. The order would authorize the defense chief to use “Secretary of War” and instruct the Pentagon to propose steps to make the rebranding permanent—something that ultimately requires Congress.

What the Order Does—and Doesn’t Do

According to officials, the executive order starts administrative changes—signage, websites, and titles—under the “secondary title” framework. It does not by itself amend federal law, which still names the agency the Department of Defense. The order also tasks the Pentagon with recommending “legislative and executive actions” to cement the shift.

The Stated Rationale

The White House frames the move as projecting readiness and resolve and reviving a “warrior ethos.” “We call it the Department of Defense, but… we’re gonna change the name,” the president told reporters recently. In a social-media post, the defense chief echoed the message with “DEPARTMENT OF WAR.”

Changing the official name in U.S. code would need an act of Congress, even if agencies begin using the historic title in parallel. Analysts note uncertainty over how far an executive order alone can go and flag the prospect of new costs across signage, documentation, and systems.

Historical Context

The United States used “Department of War” from 1789 until the post-World War II reorganization that created the Department of Defense in 1949. The administration’s move would revive that heritage in branding while the statutory name remains in place unless Congress acts.