Trump Signs Executive Order 14347 Authorizing "Department of War" as a Secondary Title for the Defense Department

On September 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14347, "Restoring the United States Department of War," at the White House in Washington, authorizing the Department of Defense and its officials to use "Department of War" and "Secretary of War" as secondary titles in official correspondence, public communications and ceremonial contexts. It was the 200th executive order Trump had signed since returning to office.

Under the order, the Secretary of Defense is authorized to use the additional secondary title of Secretary of War, the Department of Defense and the Office of the Secretary of Defense may be referred to as the Department of War and the Office of the Secretary of War, and subordinate officials such as deputy secretaries may use corresponding secondary titles. The order makes clear, however, that these are secondary titles: the department's statutory name does not change, and a permanent renaming would require an act of Congress.

The order directs the Secretary of War, within 30 days, to notify Congress of the offices and agencies that begin using the secondary designation, and within 60 days to recommend to the President the legislative and executive actions required to permanently rename the department.

The name reaches back to 1789: on August 7 of that year, President George Washington signed into law a bill establishing the United States Department of War to oversee military and naval affairs. After the Second World War, the U.S. military establishment was reorganized, the Department of War was dissolved, and in 1949 the unified establishment took the name Department of Defense, which has been used ever since.

In a fact sheet issued the same day, the White House said restoring the Department of War name was meant to demonstrate American strength and a will to win. After the signing, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth began appearing under the title Secretary of War, and Pentagon signage and official references were adjusted accordingly.

Related: Trump and Hegseth Address About 800 Top Generals at Quantico, Vowing to Restore the Warrior Ethos

(Source: The White House)

Source: The White House

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: GSM 行政令统一模板（美国总统行政令）

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