The push follows President Donald Trump's executive order last fall authorizing the name change and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of the title "Secretary of War," officials said [1]. The House and Senate Armed Services committees have adopted measures in their drafts of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would codify the change, setting up a final bill negotiation.
The effort marks a significant symbolic restructuring of the U.S. military establishment, requiring an act of Congress to make the name permanent. While the executive order allowed the department to use the name "Department of War" as a secondary title, codifying it into law would require roughly 7,600 amendments to existing federal statutes, according to a War Department legislative proposal sent to Capitol Hill [1]. The department has estimated the full rebranding will cost approximately $52 million.
Lawmakers will decide whether to retain the Department of War language in the conference report as House and Senate negotiators reconcile their versions of the fiscal 2027 NDAA. The name-change provisions remain subject to that negotiation, and Congress has not finalized the measure, according to congressional officials.
Background: Executive Order and Committee Action
Trump signed an executive order in September 2025 authorizing the Defense Department to also use the current name, and Hegseth subsequently adopted the title "Secretary of War.” The War Department was established in 1789 under George Washington and remained until 1949, when it was reorganized into the Defense Department as part of a broader post-World War II national security restructuring.
The legislative push began in earnest when Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) offered a House amendment to formally rename the department [1]. The amendment was adopted during the June NDAA markup session by a 29-27 vote, according to committee records. The Senate Armed Services Committee followed suit, approving the Department of War rebrand in its version of the fiscal 2027 NDAA, moving the name closer to law. The House Appropriations Committee later became the third committee to endorse the War Department rebrand, according to Politico.
A prior attempt to permanently rename the department failed to make it into the final fiscal 2026 NDAA, despite the Senate Armed Services Committee advancing a resolution that would have approved the change earlier this year, according to Just the News. The current effort represents a renewed attempt to secure congressional authorization after that setback.
Pentagon Argument: "A Restoration, Not an Invention"
War Department chief spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote in a Fox News Digital op-ed published Monday, Oct. 26, that the change is "a restoration, not an invention" [2]. Parnell, also a senior adviser to Hegseth, wrote that Trump "chose clarity over convenience" and that lawmakers should keep the measure in the final defense bill. He argued the name belongs in law, not only in an executive order, and said clarity about the mission to fight and win wars strengthens alliances [2].
In a separate statement, Parnell said the name change sends a clearer message to allies and adversaries alike about the department’s mission. He added that the department must "earn" the name through acquisition decisions, training exercises and strategic investments.
The War Department's public case for the change has emphasized that its current name was used for over 160 years of American history, including through both world wars, and that restoring it signals a focus on lethality and readiness. Parnell's op-ed also argued that the previous name, adopted in 1949, reflected a bureaucratic consolidation rather than a change in the military’s core purpose.
Cost Estimates and Democratic Pushback
When the War Department asked Congress in April to codify the name, the department estimated a cost of nearly $52 million and said it would not have a "significant impact" on Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget request. The proposal stated that the change would require approximately 7,600 amendments to federal law and that the department would likely spend about $50 million in fiscal 2026 to begin implementation, according to Breaking Defense.
The Congressional Budget Office said in a January report that the name change could cost up to $125 million, according to the report. The higher estimate accounts for additional administrative and logistical expenses not included in the War Department's initial projection.
Democratic lawmakers have called the effort unnecessary and accused the administration of focusing on semantics rather than military readiness, according to congressional statements. Critics have argued that the rebranding diverts resources from more pressing defense priorities.
Parnell wrote in response that critics "have it backward," arguing that clarity of mission is a precondition for effective spending. The dispute over cost and symbolism is expected to factor into the final NDAA conference negotiations.
Next Steps in the Defense Bill Process
The final NDAA must reconcile House and Senate versions before being sent to the president, and the name-change provisions remain subject to that negotiation. Congressional officials said lawmakers will decide whether to retain the Department of War language in the conference report, with the outcome uncertain.
Parnell wrote that the department must "learn" the name through acquisition decisions, training exercises and strategic investments. He said the Pentagon would continue to implement the change administratively while awaiting congressional action. The department has already begun updating social media accounts, signage and internal documents to reflect the new name.
The White House has signaled support for codifying the change, and the administration has described the NDAA as the appropriate vehicle for making the name permanent. Congress has not finalized the measure, and lawmakers will determine the final language during the conference committee process. If retained, the provision would mark the first formal renaming of the department since 1949.
References
- Pentagon presses Congress to keep measure changing name to 'Department of War'. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/6172772-pentagon-pushes-department-war-name/
- Trump restored the Department of War. Now it's up to Congress to finish the job. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trump-restored-department-of-war-now-congress-finish-job.amp
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