Trump and Hegseth push to rename Defense Department as Department of War

President Donald Trump issued an executive order to revert the Defense Department's name to the Department of War, a change championed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The piece contends that the historic title better reflects the military's primary purpose of fighting and winning conflicts, citing the original War Department founded in 1789. It points out that the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have already supported the rename in this year's defense bill, urging Congress to finalize it.

While acknowledging that a name alone does not make the force stronger, the author calls for procurement, training, and infrastructure decisions that enhance warfighter effectiveness, including the "Fortress America" initiative to make bases self-sufficient. Critics label the shift as symbolic, but the article argues that clear language reinforces alliances and deters adversaries. The author, a former infantry platoon leader in Afghanistan's Paktika province, frames the change as a moral commitment to the troops who risk their lives for national security.