Department of Defense renamed Department of War

By Pacific island Times News Staff

 President Donald Trump has issued an executive order renaming the Department of Defense “Department of War,” to “sharpen” the nation’s focus on its “willingness and availability to wage war.”

“The name ‘Department of War,’ more than the current ‘Department of Defense,’ ensures peace through strength, as it demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our nation at a moment’s notice, not just to defend,” reads the executive order.

Trump issued the directive on the heels of China’s recent showcase of its newest weapons in a massive military parade in central Beijing.

With its new name, Trump said, the department enhances its focus “on national interest and our adversaries’ focus on our willingness and availability to wage war to secure what is ours.”

The department’s head is now called the “Secretary of War.”

Trump referred to George Washington’s law, signed on Aug. 7, 1789,

establishing the U.S. Department of War to oversee the operation and maintenance of military and naval affairs. 

“It was under this name that the Department of War, along with the later formed Department of the Navy, won the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, inspiring awe and confidence in our nation’s military, and ensuring freedom and prosperity for all Americans,” the executive order reads. 

“The founders chose this name to signal our strength and resolve to the world.”