WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is advancing plans to rename the Department of Defence as the Department of War, the Wall Street Journal reported on Aug 30, citing a White House official, after US President Donald Trump raised the prospect on Aug 25.

Restoring the Department of War name for the government’s largest department would likely require congressional action, but the White House is exploring alternative methods to implement the change, the report said.

Republican Representative Greg Steube of Florida filed an amendment to the annual defence policy Bill that would change the name of the department, indicating some Republican support in Congress for the change.

White House moves forward on plans for a Department of War: WSJ



White House moves forward on plans for a Department of War: WSJ
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The Trump administration is advancing plans to rename the Department of Defence as the Department of War, the Wall Street Journal reported on Aug 30.  
The White House gave no details, but underscored Mr Donald Trump’s comments this week emphasising the US military’s offensive capabilities.

PHOTO: TIERNEY L. CROSS/NYTIMES

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Published Aug 31, 2025, 07:51 AM

Updated Aug 31, 2025, 07:51 AM


WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is advancing plans to rename the Department of Defence as the Department of War, the Wall Street Journal reported on Aug 30, citing a White House official, after US President Donald Trump raised the prospect on Aug 25.

Restoring the Department of War name for the government’s largest department would likely require congressional action, but the White House is exploring alternative methods to implement the change, the report said.

Republican Representative Greg Steube of Florida filed an amendment to the annual defence policy Bill that would change the name of the department, indicating some Republican support in Congress for the change.


The White House gave no details, but underscored Mr Trump’s comments this week emphasising the US military’s offensive capabilities.

“As President Trump said, our military should be focused on offence – not just defence – which is why he has prioritised warfighters at the Pentagon instead of DEI and woke ideology. Stay tuned!” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly, using the initials DEI to refer to programmes aimed at increasing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Mr Trump raised the idea of rebranding the Defence Department as the “Department of War” while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, saying it “just sounded to me better.”

“It used to be called the Department of War and it had a stronger sound,” Trump said. “We want defense, but we want offense too ... As Department of War we won everything, we won everything and I think we’re going to have to go back to that.”

The War Department became the Department of Defence through a gradual process, beginning with the National Security Act of 1947, which unified the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single organisation called the National Military Establishment.

An amendment to the law passed in 1949 officially introduced the name “Department of Defence”, establishing the structure in place today.

Mr Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have been working to promote a more aggressive image of the military while making a spate of other changes, including purging top military leaders whose views have been seen as being at odds with Mr Trump.

The Trump administration has also sought to bar transgender individuals from joining the US military and remove all who are currently serving. The Pentagon says transgender people are medically unfit, something civil rights activists say is untrue and constitutes illegal discrimination. REUTERS