U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that he may soon push to rename the Department of Defense back to its historic title—the Department of War.
“Pete Hegseth has been incredible with the, as I call it, the Department of War. You know, we call it the Department of Defense, but between us, I think we’re going to change the name,” Trump said during a meeting with South Korea’s president.
He added: “You want to know the truth, I think we’re going to have some information on that maybe soon.”
The former president argued that the United States achieved historic military victories, including World War I and World War II, under the Department of War.
“Defense is a part of that,” Trump noted. “But I have a feeling we’re going to be changing. Everybody likes that. We had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War.”
The Department of War was created in 1789 under George Washington and remained until 1947, when President Harry Truman reorganized it. By 1949, it was renamed the Department of Defense, which oversees America’s military strategy today.
Trump has previously referred to conservative commentator Pete Hegseth as “Secretary of War,” while also boasting about rising military recruitment numbers during his presidency.
Although he has floated the idea of the name change, Trump also continues to emphasize his diplomatic efforts, particularly in mediating ceasefires and truces.
He has pointed to successes in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and has expressed interest in facilitating peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
His allies, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have even suggested he deserves recognition such as the Nobel Peace Prize, though Johnson recently tied the idea to Trump’s anti-crime policies in Washington, D.C.
If enacted, the renaming would mark a symbolic shift in U.S. defense policy, highlighting Trump’s vision of restoring what he sees as the nation’s “unbelievable history of victory.”
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