Overview

• The decree makes “Department (Ministry) of War” an additional official title and directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to pursue steps, including legislation, to make the change permanent.
• Within hours, Pentagon signage was altered, the department’s website was retitled, and Hegseth began using “Secretary (Minister) of War” in public communications.
• Trump said the change will be sent to Congress yet maintained a vote might not be needed, underscoring unresolved legal questions about executive authority.
• A senior official said the overall cost will emerge as implementation proceeds, and global updates to signage and documents are expected; prior base renamings were estimated at about $39 million.
• The White House says the rebranding projects strength and “peace by force,” as Democrats including Sen. Tammy Duckworth condemn it as politicizing the military and misplacing resources, while Hegseth touts a revived “warrior ethic.”