President Donald Trump is reviving the name War Department. On Friday, he signed an executive order rebranding the Pentagon as the Department of War, a title that dates back to 1789.
The move does not carry the force of law, since only Congress can officially rename the agency, but the order allows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to call himself Secretary of War and requires federal agencies to use the term in official communications.
Trump says the changes reflect strength and a “warrior ethos.” He claimed the Department of Defense was a “woke” invention, but many Pentagon officials are furious. They said the rebrand could cost billions — updating seals, websites, contracts, even chow hall napkins — while doing nothing to address urgent military challenges.
Democrats called the move a dangerous distraction. Republicans such as Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) argued that renaming the Pentagon means little if Trump is not willing to increase spending.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
