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Trump to Direct Pentagon to Use 'Department of War' as Secondary Title

Trump to Direct Pentagon to Use 'Department of War' as Secondary Title
Above: President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a White House cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, 2025. Image copyright: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

The Department of War name restoration reasserts America’s military heritage and reestablishes a warrior ethos. For 158 years, from Washington through World War II, major conflicts were won under the War Department banner, not the abstract “Defense” title that enabled endless foreign intervention. The change is designed to both project external strength and stir internal introspection, forcing policymakers and citizens to confront that military action is serious business — not nation-building or defensive gestures.

Democratic narrative

This name change reflects reckless warmongering from someone who avoided military service and misunderstands modern defense. Americans want to prevent wars, not glorify them, and the Pentagon’s mission extends far beyond combat to include cybersecurity, humanitarian aid and alliance building. Money spent on signs, letterhead and bureaucracy would be better invested in training and equipment for actual warfighters. The timing is also troubling, signaling aggression to allies and adversaries alike, potentially undermining future diplomatic efforts.

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 22% chance that there will be a "World War Three" before 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.



The Controversies




© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.15.2

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.15.2