2025-11-14 07:30
publication
2025-11-14 07:30
On Thursday, in place of the “Ministry of Defense” plaques, two plaques with the new name “Ministry of War” were hung on the Pentagon building. In September, US President Donald Trump allowed the ministry to use it.
Staff on Thursday removed two bronze plaques hanging at the Pentagon's entrances and replaced them with plaques bearing the name “Ministry of War.” Pete Hegseth, the head of the Pentagon, symbolically helped install one of them.
– We love everything that the Ministry of Defense represents. But this is a new era of a war ministry that focuses on winning wars (…), Hegseth said.
The previous plaques had been hanging on the building for over 70 years, said the head of the Pentagon.
In September, the US president signed a regulation allowing the Ministry of Defense to use the name “Ministry of War” as an alternative name for the institution.
According to the document signed by Trump, the move to return to the ministry's original name is intended to “focus the ministry's attention more on the national interest and signal to its adversaries America's readiness to go to war to defend its interests.” The document does not formally change the name of the ministry, but allows the use of a new name.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth installs “Department of War” signage at the Pentagon. pic.twitter.com/4DK6Kev63e
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) November 13, 2025
Trump said that while he is not sure whether he needs an act of Congress to complete the name change, he will approach him about it. In 1947, Congress renamed the then Ministry of War into the Ministry of Defense, and most experts believe that only an act can restore the former name.
From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)
Sun/Sun/
