'Department of War' is a more accurate label than 'Defense'

“DEFENSE is too defensive,” noted President Trump recently, as he announced that the Department of Defense would be renamed the Department of War.

- TRISHA URMI BANERJEE AND NATHANIEL ZETTER GUEST CONTRIBUTORS

WHATEVER the prevailing name of the department that calls it home, you can still call this headquarters the Pentagon.

More aggressive rhetoric can lead to more aggressive action, and this is a serious concern. But Trump’s move away from the word “defense” is also an opportunity for Americans to reckon more honestly with the nation’s use of military power. “Department of War” cuts through the rhetoric America has used for decades to claim that it is defending peace even as it continuously wages wars.

“Defense” makes military budgets sound untouchable, because defending the nation does not seem optional. But “war” sounds more costly and perhaps more difficult to justify. The Department of Defense received its name in 1949, and spending on the military rose exorbitantly in the following years — tripling by 1951, and accounting for three-quarters of the federal budget by 1955.

The Department of Defense’s 2025 budget is $849.9 billion. Americans who object to such an expense may find it easier to rally support for cutting funds from a Department of War.

The proposed new name would also express continuity with American history — though not the history Trump has in mind. The original Department of War was established by Congress in 1789, despite the protests of those such as Thomas Jefferson who thought the U.S. should maintain a professional army only in wartime.