in effect
Executive Order 14347, signed September 5, 2025, directs that the Department of Defense be referred to as the “Department of War” and that the Secretary of Defense carry the secondary title “Secretary of War.” It is a naming action, not a structural reorganization — the department’s legal authority, budget, and statutory functions remain unchanged until Congress acts.
The Secretary of Defense and subordinate officials (Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries, etc.) may now use corresponding “of War” titles in official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial settings, and internal executive branch documents. All executive agencies are required to recognize and use these secondary titles in communications, so long as doing so does not conflict with legal, statutory, or international obligations. Existing laws and statutes continue to use “Department of Defense” as the controlling legal name until Congress changes them. Within 30 days, the Secretary must notify Congress of any component that adopts the “Department of War” designation. Within 60 days, the Secretary must send the President a recommendation outlining the legislative and executive steps needed to make the name change permanent.
The Secretary of Defense and all subordinate Pentagon officials are immediately affected, gaining new secondary titles they may use in non-statutory contexts. Other federal agencies and departments must update how they address and reference the Pentagon in communications. The public-facing name of the department may shift in official correspondence and ceremonial use, though legal documents and statutes will continue to say “Department of Defense” until a separate act of Congress changes them.