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US House Committee Approves Renaming Defense Department to 'Department of War'
🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

US House Committee Approves Renaming Defense Department to 'Department of War'

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The U.S. House Armed Services Committee has passed a provision to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
  • This move aligns with a previous executive order by former President Donald Trump to revert to the historical name used until 1947.
  • Official renaming requires approval from both the House and the Senate, with the latter potentially posing a challenge due to Democratic support needed.

A push to rename the U.S. Department of Defense the "Department of War" has cleared a significant hurdle in the House of Representatives. The House Armed Services Committee approved the measure as part of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. This provision, championed by Republican Representative Ronny Jackson, passed by a narrow 29-27 vote.

Former President Donald Trump initially sought this name change via executive order last September, aiming to restore the name used by the U.S. from 1789 until 1947. The Trump administration has already begun using "Department of War" and "Secretary of War" in its communications. However, legal interpretations suggest that a formal renaming requires congressional approval, as the Department of Defense was established by law in 1947.

Jackson thanked him, saying, "Soon the Department of War will be officially resurrected."

— Pete HegsesDefense Secretary Pete Hegses's reaction to the House committee's approval of the name change.

Representative Jackson argued that the name "Department of War" better reflects "resolve and determination." Defense Secretary Pete Hegses echoed this sentiment on social media, expressing gratitude to Jackson and anticipating the "official resurrection of the Department of War." However, the bill's journey is far from over. It must pass a full House vote and gain concurrence from the Senate, where Democratic support will likely be crucial for its advancement.

The name change reflects 'resolve and determination.'

— Ronny JacksonRepresentative Ronny Jackson's justification for proposing the name change.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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