Overview

• An executive order lets the White House and Pentagon use 'Department of War' and 'Secretary of War' as secondary titles while the statutory name remains Department of Defense.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has begun implementation, including directing signage changes and promoting a 'maximum lethality, not tepid legality' posture.
• Analysts and reporting warn the rebranding could cost hundreds of millions to potentially billions of dollars across documents, seals, websites and base signage.
• The shift in messaging includes an Apocalypse Now–style post about 'Chicago' and combative statements from senior officials, drawing criticism over domestic and foreign signaling.
• Recent actions underscore the harder line, including a legally disputed strike on a Venezuelan boat, ramped-up forces in the Caribbean, and earlier strikes on Iranian targets.