Trump enacts a presidential decree to rename the Pentagon as the "Department of War"

In a move that aims to reshape the US military and uproot what President Donald Trump has described as progressive ideology, Trump signed an executive order to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

The Department of War, which was originally created in 1789, had its name changed and reorganised in 1947 under President Harry Truman. However, Trump has expressed a desire to restore the Department of War name, stating that the United States had a history of victory under that name.

The switch is intended to signal to the world that the United States is a force to be reckoned with. The Pentagon's website has already changed from "defense.gov" to "war.gov".

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been a vocal supporter of the name change, said they would go on offense and use "maximum lethality" that won't be "politically correct". Hegseth has complained that the United States hasn't won a major war since the name of the Department of War was changed.

Trump has begun referring to Hegseth as the "secretary of war". The administration has ordered the renaming of military bases that once honoured Confederate leaders, choosing new names that share similarities with the original names. For example, Fort Bragg now honours Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II paratrooper and Silver Star recipient from Maine, instead of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

Trump's rebranding initiative has garnered support from some members of Congress. Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube proposed legislation to formally change the name of the department. Sens. Rick Scott and Mike Lee are introducing companion legislation in the Senate to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

However, it's important to note that no specific members of Congress have been reported to have introduced bills to rename the U.S. Department of Defense to the "Department of War"; instead, this initiative was pursued by former President Donald Trump through an executive order and is subject to congressional approval.

Trump has favoured aggressive military action despite his criticism of "endless wars". He has claimed that the Department of Defense's name was "woke", and the rebranding is another attempt to reshape the US military in his image.

The rebranding of the Department of Defense as the Department of War marks a significant shift in US military policy and identity. It remains to be seen how this change will impact the US military's operations and relationships with other nations.

Trump enacts a presidential decree to rename the Pentagon as the "Department of War"