Trump to rebrand Pentagon as Department of War

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order on Friday to rename the Department of Defense the "Department of War," Reuters reported citing a White House official.

The order would authorize Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Defense Department and subordinate officials to use secondary titles such as "Secretary of War," "Department of War," and "Deputy Secretary of War" in official correspondence and public communications, Reuters reported citing a White House fact sheet.

Department name changes are rare and require congressional approval, according to the report.

The U.S. Department of Defense was called the War Department until 1949, when Congress consolidated the Army, Navy and Air Force in the wake of World War Two.