Trump renames Pentagon to Department of War, sparking national debate

As U.S. forces carry out strikes abroad and policymakers prepare to release a new national defense strategy, the Trump administration has chosen to revive a name not heard in Washington since 1947: the Department of War. 

Friday’s executive order has opened a debate over whether words shape policy, or whether the symbolism matters less than the capabilities behind them.

Supporters argue the shift restores honesty to the Pentagon’s identity, acknowledging that America’s armed forces have long been engaged in conflicts that stretch beyond “defense.” Critics counter that the change risks glorifying war, unsettling allies and giving adversaries new propaganda lines at a sensitive moment in global security.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who proudly assumed the new title, described the move as a cultural reset. “Words matter. Titles matter, cultures matter,” Hegseth told Fox News Digital. “George Washington founded the War Department.”

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Jennifer Kavanaugh, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities, said recent strikes have emboldened Trump to lean more heavily on military power. She pointed to U.S. attacks on Iranian targets earlier this summer and, more recently, a strike on a Venezuelan drug-smuggling boat, which she said the administration clearly views as both policy successes and strong political points. 

“These two strikes, as well as other small things, are maybe pushing Trump to be more aggressive than he was on the campaign trail, or even than he planned to be coming in,” Kavanaugh said.

Others were more skeptical of the name’s practical impact. Frank Rose, a former Defense Department and Nuclear Security Administration official, said the change does little to address real challenges. “I have no problem with the [new] name,” he said. “The real question is this: Will this name change allow us to get capability faster to the warfighter and stay ahead of Russia and China? I’m skeptical. Names don’t deter. Capabilities deter.”

Some observers worry the debate over symbolism is overshadowing substantive developments. “This story is overshadowing more important news,” said John Byrnes, strategic director for Concerned Veterans for America. “The overdue National Defense Strategy…