Trump To Rename What Department

President Trump suggested Monday that he could soon move to rename the Department of Defense back to its historic title, the Department of War.

Speaking during a meeting with South Korea’s president, Trump praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and openly floated the change. “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. “You want to know the truth, I think we’re going to have some information on that maybe soon.”

Trump argued that the United States had some of its greatest victories under the Department of War, pointing to World War I and World War II. “Defense is a part of that,” he said. “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 lasted until 1947, when President Harry Truman reorganized it. Two years later, it was officially renamed the Department of Defense.

Trump has occasionally referred to Hegseth as “Secretary of War,” and he has touted rising military recruitment figures during his second term. Despite signaling interest in the name change, Trump has also highlighted his attempts to negotiate peace deals around the world, pointing to ceasefire efforts in conflicts between India and Pakistan and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He has repeatedly pushed for a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine and has openly entertained the idea of receiving a Nobel Peace Prize. Most recently, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) endorsed the notion, crediting Trump not only for his foreign policy efforts but also for his crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C.