Overview

• President Trump’s September 5 executive order gives the Pentagon the secondary title “Department of War,” which cannot replace the statutory name without congressional action.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has embraced the shift, calling for “maximum lethality, not tepid legality,” and has directed signage and branding changes across installations.
• Branding experts and Pentagon officials warn the effort will be costly and disruptive, with estimates ranging from hundreds of millions to potentially billions of dollars for global updates.
• Analysts argue the label change risks alarming allies and empowering adversaries’ narratives, framing the United States as prioritizing offensive force over defense.
• The rebrand accompanies a tougher operational stance, including a legally disputed strike on a Venezuelan boat, earlier strikes on Iranian facilities, and a ramp-up of forces in the Caribbean highlighted by senior officials’ visit to Puerto Rico.