Overview

• A White House official confirmed the administration is moving forward on the proposal, though no legal change has been enacted.
• Because executive department names are set by statute, a formal switch would likely require Congress, and officials are also studying alternative pathways.
• Rep. Greg Steube filed an amendment to the annual defense policy bill to effect the change, signaling at least some support on Capitol Hill.
• Reporting says Pentagon staff drafted legislative concepts earlier in the term, including options tied to a national emergency and reviving the title “Secretary of War.”
• Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have publicly endorsed the rebrand, and the White House framed the effort as prioritizing warfighters over DEI programs.