WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday directing the Department of Defense to be officially known as the Department of War, restoring a name last used in the 1940s.

According to the order, the change aims to “project strength and resolve.” The Pentagon will initially use the new name as a secondary title while the administration seeks congressional approval to make the change permanent.

The White House has not disclosed the cost of the rebrand, though US media estimate a billion-dollar price tag to overhaul emblems, agencies, uniforms and digital platforms.

The Pentagon’s website was updated Friday evening to “war.gov” with the headline “U.S. Department of War.”

“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 states.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “I think it’s a much more appropriate name, in light of where the world is right now. It sends a message of victory.”

The order also designates Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as secretary of war.

Hegseth, standing beside Trump at the signing, said the change was about more than terminology.

“This name change is not just about renaming, it’s about restoring,” he said.

“We’re going to go on offence, not just on defence. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct. We’re going to raise up warriors, not just defenders.”

The Department of War was first established in 1789 and was rebranded as the Department of Defense in 1947.

Trump has argued the US has an “unbelievable history of victory” in both world wars under the original name.

Congress is responsible for creating executive departments, but Trump said in August he was confident lawmakers would support the idea if their backing is required.

Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey dismissed the move as “childish,” saying Americans “want to prevent wars, not tout them.”

The announcement comes as China showcased new drones, weapons and military hardware in a parade widely viewed as a warning to the US and its allies.

The order marks the 200th executive order Trump has signed since taking office. — Agencies