The White House and Pentagon on Thursday confirmed that President Donald Trump will formally rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War on Friday.
Trump teased the name change late last month, which is expected to need congressional approval in order to be permanent and official.
The Department of Defense’s name was changed in 1949 through an amendment to the 1947 National Security Act, which had combined the Army, Air Force and Navy under one department. The Army and Air Force were part of the Department of War before that.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who will later be referred to as the Secretary of War, appeared to confirm the name change was happening Friday, after Fox News reported that Trump will sign an executive order to alter the department’s name.
“DEPARTMENT OF WAR,” Hegseth posted on X in response to the Fox News article.
The executive order will make the Department of War a “secondary” title for the Department of Defense, and “secretary of war” a secondary title for Hegseth, the outlet reported. It also directs Hegseth to propose ways to make the name change permanent.Â
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.
