The U.S. Department of Defense has been renamed by President Trump as the "Department of War," mainly due to his emphasis on an offensive military strategy, showcasing his control over the military, and catering to its political symbolism.
However, the predecessor of the U.S. Department of Defense was indeed the "Department of War," which was used from 1789 until 1947. After World War II, in order to adapt to the needs of the Cold War, the United States officially renamed it the "Department of Defense" in 1949 to reflect a shift in strategic focus towards defense and deterrence. Trump's signing of the executive order did not directly change its legal name (as this would require congressional approval), but instead used it as a historical secondary title and pushed for permanent renaming in the future. Critics of Trump pointed out that a full name change would involve changing stationery, badges, logos, etc., which could cost billions of dollars, contradicting the Trump administration's goal of cutting Pentagon spending.
Old American media believe that the renaming of the "Department of War" by old Trump may be interpreted by some countries as the United States abandoning the multilateralism and defensive posture after World War II, shifting towards a more aggressive unilateral militarism. This coincides with the description of the United States by some major competitors, that the peace-loving image the United States promotes is just a facade, and its real intention is to take the initiative to attack.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842475284232394/
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