Trump’s Latest Stunt: Rebranding the Pentagon as the “Department of War”

In yet another alarming display of authoritarian bravado, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to rebrand the Department of Defense with a chilling new moniker: the “Department of War.” This move, dripping with militaristic nostalgia and reckless symbolism, signals a disturbing shift in tone — one that glorifies conflict over diplomacy and aggression over restraint.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump smugly declared that the name change “just sounded better,” as if the gravitas of national defense were a branding exercise for his ego. The White House’s fact sheet confirms that the term “Department of War” will now serve as a “secondary title,” allowing officials to adopt war-themed titles like “Secretary of War.” Pete Hegseth, Trump’s handpicked Defense Secretary and longtime Fox News personality, wasted no time embracing the change, posting “DEPARTMENT OF WAR” on social media like a dystopian slogan.

Let’s be clear: Trump has no legal authority to rename the department. Congress established the “Department of Defense” in 1949 to reflect a post-WWII commitment to unified, strategic defense — not saber-rattling. Constitutional scholars, including Steve Vladeck, have already pointed out that this executive order is little more than political theater. But Trump, never one to let facts get in the way of spectacle, suggested Congress “might not have to” approve the change. That’s not just wrong — it’s dangerous.

This isn’t just a name change. It’s a window into Trump’s worldview: one that fetishizes military might, undermines democratic norms, and treats governance like a reality show. The cost of this vanity project? Potentially tens of millions in taxpayer dollars just to update signage, seals, and titles — all to satisfy one man’s obsession with power and optics.

The original War Department was retired for a reason. It represented an era of fragmented military command and unchecked executive war-making. President Truman’s 1949 reforms were a step toward accountability and coordination. Trump’s attempt to resurrect the War Department name is a step backward — toward chaos, division, and the glorification of endless conflict.

This executive order isn’t about national security. It’s about Trump’s relentless pursuit of spectacle, his disdain for democratic process, and his dangerous flirtation with authoritarianism. The American people deserve better than a government that treats war as branding and peace as weakness.