Overview

• Speaking in the Oval Office on Aug. 25, President Trump said he expects “soon” to share details and suggested a change could come “over the next week or so.”
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth endorsed the idea alongside the president, saying the shift is “coming soon.”
• Legal analysts and reporters note it is unclear the administration can act unilaterally, as the department’s name stems from the National Security Act and later amendments.
• The Defense Department referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately comment, and no formal plan or legislation has been released.
• The proposal references the pre‑1947 War Department and coincides with a harder-edged security message that includes National Guard deployments in Washington, D.C., and discussions about sending troops to Chicago.