President Donald Trump is moving to rebrand the US Department of Defense as the Department of War to project what the White House calls "a stronger message of readiness and resolve," reports the BBC.
He will sign an executive order on Friday for the department to use the new name as a secondary title.
Moreover, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will also be referred to as the Secretary of War under the directive.
The Pentagon, which traces its roots to the War Department, was established in 1789 under President George Washington as a cabinet-level agency and was rebranded after World War II.
The authority to create executive departments lies with the US Congress, meaning that an amendment would be required to change the department's name legally.
The BBC got hold of the text of the executive order, which says: "The name 'Department of War' conveys a stronger message of readiness and resolve compared to 'Department of Defense,' which emphasizes only defensive capabilities."
The order authorises the defence secretary, his department and subordinate officials to use the new titles as secondary names.
The order also instructs Hegseth to recommend and include legislative and executive actions to move toward a permanent renaming of the department, since Trump cannot formally change the name without congressional approval.
According to the executive order, restoring its name "will sharpen the focus of this Department on our national interest and signal to adversaries America's readiness to wage war to secure its interests".
The White House is yet to reveal how much a permanent rebrand would cost, but US media expect a billion-dollar price tag for the overhaul of hundreds of agencies, emblems, email addresses, uniforms and more, possibly hindering the Pentagon's efforts to cut spending and waste.
Trump has repeatedly put forward the idea of the name change, arguing that the US had "an unbelievable history of victory" in both world wars under the previous name.
He has also expressed optimism that lawmakers would support such a change.
"I'm sure Congress will go along if we need that. I don't even think we need that," the president said last week. "But, if we need that, I'm sure Congress will go along."
Trump and Hegseth aim to refocus the department on "warfighting" and a "warrior ethos".
They have argued that the department has become too focused on diversity, equity and inclusion programmes and "woke ideology".
Earlier on Thursday, Trump downplayed suggestions about seeking the Nobel Peace Prize.
"All I can do is put out wars," he told CBS News, the BBC's US partner. "I don't seek attention. I just want to save lives."
The renaming marks the president's 200th executive order signed since he took office.
The move follows China's unveiling of a wide array of new weapons, drones, and other military hardware in a major parade, which many interpreted as a clear message to the US and its allies.
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