Pentagon antenna, May 12, 2021 (photo Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brittany A. Chase)
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to change the name of the Defense Department to the Department of War.
Just before Trump signed an order in the Oval Office overdue Friday afternoon, he and Pete HegeSeth, the secretary responsible for the department, which stood next to Trump during signing, said that the change of name reflected their intention to return to a more aggressive way of thinking the army.
“It restores when you led us, Mr. President, restoring the ethos of warriors,” said HegeSeth. “The Department of War will fight strongly, not endless conflicts. He will fight for winning, and not lose. We will offend, not only in defense. Maximum mortality, not improved legality. A violent effect, not politically correct. We will not grow warriors, not just defenders.”
. Order text He calls the “Secretary of War” a “secondary” title of HegeSetha. “The Secretary of Defense is authorized to use this additional secondary title-the warrior war-and may be recognized by this title in official correspondence, public transport, ceremonial contexts and documents not subject to statutory in the executive department”, reads the order.
History of the Defense Department
The war department and the Naval Department were departments of the office by definition of the country until 1947, when Congress joined them together with the Air Force department, into a up-to-date national military establishment. Congress changed this name to the Department of Defense two years later.
Trump said on Friday that the change of name 76 years ago revealed “political correctness” in the army, which contributed to the poorer results on the battlefield. He said that the US did not win a stern war since reorganization.
“We could win every war, but we really decided to be very politically correct or awake, and we just fight forever, and then we wouldn’t lose, we just fight for a draw,” he said. “We never wanted to win the wars that each of them would easily win with a few small changes or a few small edicts.”
Congress, which is to be asked for action
Because the name of the department comes from the Congress act, it is not clear whether Trump has the right to change the name by the executive order.
The president said on Friday that he did not know if the Congress would be necessary, but he would ask the legislators to approve the change.
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out,” he said when he asked if Congress would codify the name. “But I’m not sure if they have to … there is a question whether they have to, but we will put it before Congress.”
Trump added that the cost of replacing the marking and other materials related to the department would be minimal.
The order says: “Within 60 days from the date of this decision, the Secretary of War will submit to the President, through the President for National Security, the recommendation regarding the actions required for a permanent change of the name of the Defense Department to the War Department. The recommendation includes proposed legislative and executive actions necessary to make this change.”
Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, chairman of the subcommittee for funds with jurisdiction on the department, which often tried with Trump, including defense expenses, said in social media that the change of name was not significant without major financial investments.
“If we call it the Department of War, we equip the army better to actually prevent wars and win,” wrote the former leader of the Republican Senate. “We cannot keep American primacy if we do not want to spend much more on our army than Carter or Biden.” Peace through strength “requires investment, not just rebranding.”
