Trump's executive order proposes to rechristen the Department of Defense as the Department of War

The Trump administration has made a significant move by renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a decision that has sparked controversy in Congress.

In a move that some claim bypasses legal requirements, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War. The change, according to Trump, is intended to signal strength and victory to the world.

The Department of War was originally established in 1789, but was renamed and reorganized in 1947 to become the Department of Defense. Trump, however, believes that the renaming was a mistake and has expressed a desire to restore the Department of War name since August.

The focus of the new Department, as stated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been referred to as the "secretary of war", will be on going on offense and using maximum lethality. This shift in focus has raised concerns among some lawmakers, who argue that it may lead to an aggressive military posture.

Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska has been one of the critics of the administration, stating that going against the wishes of Congress by attempting to restore the old names is not appropriate. His concerns have been echoed by other Republicans in Congress, who have been irked by the administration's efforts to restore Confederate names.

An amendment to remove the Confederate names from military bases was introduced in July, and nine military bases that once honored Confederate leaders have been renamed as part of this name-changing spree. For instance, Fort Bragg now honors Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II paratrooper and Silver Star recipient from Maine, instead of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

Similarly, Fort A.P. Hill now honors Union soldiers Pvt. Bruce Anderson and 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn, whose initials contribute to the base name, and Lt. Col. Edward Hill, whose last name completes the second half of the base name.

Trump has also been credited for resolving conflicts between various countries, such as India and Pakistan, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, his approach to foreign policy, which favors aggressive military action, has been a subject of debate.

The new name needs formal authorization from Congress, but Trump has stated that he will proceed with the name change, implying that it may not require formal authorization. The Pentagon's website has already been changed from "defense.gov" to "war.gov".

The renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War marks a significant shift in the approach to military and foreign policy under the Trump administration. The controversy surrounding this decision is likely to continue as the administration pushes for this change.