Overview

• Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, President Trump said he expects “maybe soon” to share news on reverting the Defense Department’s name, adding it could happen “over the next week or so.”
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the move at the event, calling it “coming soon,” as Trump argued the older title has a “stronger sound” and invoked U.S. victories in World Wars I and II.
• When a reporter noted that renaming would require an act of Congress, Trump replied, “We’re just going to do it,” though neither the White House nor the Pentagon has released a formal plan.
• The War Department existed from 1789 until post–World War II reorganizations in 1947–49 established the modern Defense Department under federal law.
• The announcement came during appearances with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and follows months of hints from Trump and Hegseth, including Hegseth’s public polling on restoring the ‘Department of War’ name.