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TRUMP FLOATS RENAME OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO THE “DEPARTMENT OF WAR”
WHY GO BACKWARDS?
EDITOR’S NOTES
This story examines President Trump’s latest push to rename the Department of Defense. We trace the history behind America’s choice to abandon the “Department of War” after World War II, what Trump’s rhetoric reveals about his political strategy, and why this proposal matters for America’s image at home and abroad.
WHAT HAPPENED
President Trump announced on Monday, during a meeting with South Korea’s president, that he intends to rename the Department of Defense back to the Department of War.
“We had an unbelievable history of victory when it was the Department of War,” Trump said. “Everybody likes that. I think we’re going to be changing.”
The president credited his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, saying he already calls him “Secretary of War.” Trump added that an announcement could come “soon.”
WHY IT MATTERS
The Department of War was created in 1789 under George Washington. After World War II, President Harry Truman pushed through the National Security Act of 1947, merging the armed services into a unified National Military Establishment. By 1949, it was renamed the Department of Defense.
This was not just a bureaucratic change. Truman said the reorganization would allow the United States to “carry out more effectively our major national objective—security and peace.”
The name “Defense” was chosen deliberately:
* To signal that America was not an aggressor nation.
* To frame U.S. forces as defenders of democracy at home and abroad.
* To counter Soviet propaganda portraying the U.S. as an imperial power.
* To unify the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines under a broad, non-provocative mission.
By contrast, Trump’s reasoning is symbolic. He ties the word “War” to past victories, projecting nostalgia for an era of clear wins and “strength.” Critics say it reflects his need to reassert power at a time of weak approval ratings.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Congressional pushback: Renaming the Pentagon requires an act of Congress, not just a presidential order.
* Military response: Generals and defense officials have historically resisted politicized rebranding.
* Public optics: Trump is simultaneously lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize while pushing to restore the War Department—an irony not lost on critics.
* 2026 midterms: Martial branding may be aimed at energizing his base amid sagging poll numbers.
BOTTOM LINE
When Truman renamed the War Department to the Defense Department, it was about more than semantics. It was about reframing America’s role in the world as a protector, not a conqueror.
Trump’s push to reverse that change is less about structure than about ego. It’s an effort to feel big, project dominance, and reclaim a “winning” image—even as his administration struggles with low approval and growing crises at home.
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Get full access to The TAKE with Jerrod Zisser at jerrodzisser.substack.com/subscribe
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By The TAKE with Jerrod ZisserWHY GO BACKWARDS?
EDITOR’S NOTES
This story examines President Trump’s latest push to rename the Department of Defense. We trace the history behind America’s choice to abandon the “Department of War” after World War II, what Trump’s rhetoric reveals about his political strategy, and why this proposal matters for America’s image at home and abroad.
WHAT HAPPENED
President Trump announced on Monday, during a meeting with South Korea’s president, that he intends to rename the Department of Defense back to the Department of War.
“We had an unbelievable history of victory when it was the Department of War,” Trump said. “Everybody likes that. I think we’re going to be changing.”
The president credited his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, saying he already calls him “Secretary of War.” Trump added that an announcement could come “soon.”
WHY IT MATTERS
The Department of War was created in 1789 under George Washington. After World War II, President Harry Truman pushed through the National Security Act of 1947, merging the armed services into a unified National Military Establishment. By 1949, it was renamed the Department of Defense.
This was not just a bureaucratic change. Truman said the reorganization would allow the United States to “carry out more effectively our major national objective—security and peace.”
The name “Defense” was chosen deliberately:
* To signal that America was not an aggressor nation.
* To frame U.S. forces as defenders of democracy at home and abroad.
* To counter Soviet propaganda portraying the U.S. as an imperial power.
* To unify the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines under a broad, non-provocative mission.
By contrast, Trump’s reasoning is symbolic. He ties the word “War” to past victories, projecting nostalgia for an era of clear wins and “strength.” Critics say it reflects his need to reassert power at a time of weak approval ratings.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Congressional pushback: Renaming the Pentagon requires an act of Congress, not just a presidential order.
* Military response: Generals and defense officials have historically resisted politicized rebranding.
* Public optics: Trump is simultaneously lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize while pushing to restore the War Department—an irony not lost on critics.
* 2026 midterms: Martial branding may be aimed at energizing his base amid sagging poll numbers.
BOTTOM LINE
When Truman renamed the War Department to the Defense Department, it was about more than semantics. It was about reframing America’s role in the world as a protector, not a conqueror.
Trump’s push to reverse that change is less about structure than about ego. It’s an effort to feel big, project dominance, and reclaim a “winning” image—even as his administration struggles with low approval and growing crises at home.
THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT MY WORK IS TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE SUBSTACK
Get full access to The TAKE with Jerrod Zisser at jerrodzisser.substack.com/subscribe