White House Advances Plans for a War Department, According to WSJ Report

The Trump administration has proposed a significant change to the name of the U.S. government's largest department, the Department of Defense. If implemented, this change would rename the department to the "Department of War."

The idea was first raised by President Trump while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. He stated that the name "Department of War" sounds better to him and could help increase the focus on the U.S. military's offensive capabilities.

This proposed renaming is part of an effort by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to promote a more aggressive image of the military. The change could potentially prioritize warfighters over programs aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The Department of Defense was originally named the War Department, but it was renamed through a gradual process, starting with the National Security Act of 1947. The act established the National Military Establishment, unifying the Army, Navy, and Air Force under one organization. The final step in this process, the official renaming to the Department of Defense, occurred in 1949.

It's important to note that no Republican representative is mentioned in the search results as having filed a proposal to rename the U.S. Department of Defense to the "Department of War" in the annual defense policy bill. The initiative to rename it "Department of War" is attributed to President Trump through a presidential order or decree.

However, Republican Representative Greg Steube of Florida did file an amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would change the name of the department. The White House, on the other hand, is exploring alternative methods to implement this change, but it would likely require congressional action.

The Pentagon claims that transgender people are medically unfit, a claim disputed by civil rights activists as illegal discrimination. The Trump administration has also been working to remove all transgender individuals currently serving in the U.S. military.

The White House gave no details about the proposed change, but it underscored Trump's comments emphasizing the U.S. military's offensive capabilities. The change, if implemented, would potentially prioritize warfighters over programs aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).