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EO 14347Executive OrderTrump 47 · R

Executive Order 14347

Restoring the United States Department of War

This executive order authorizes the Department of Defense and its officials to use "Department of War" and "Secretary of War" as secondary titles in official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial contexts, and non-statutory documents, while leaving statutory names unchanged pending legislation. It requires the Secretary to report within 30 days on which offices adopt the secondary designation and within 60 days to recommend legislative and executive actions needed for a permanent statutory renaming.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 43893

Impact dates

  1. Secretary submits recommendation on permanent statutory renaming to President

  2. Secretary submits notification to Congress of offices/components using Department of War designation

Key directives

  • Authorize Secretary of Defense to use 'Secretary of War' as secondary title in official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial contexts, and non-statutory documents
  • Authorize Department of Defense and Office of Secretary of Defense to use 'Department of War' and 'Office of Secretary of War' as secondary titles in same contexts
  • Extend secondary title usage to subordinate officials (Deputy Secretary of War, Under Secretary of War, etc.)
  • Require all executive departments and agencies to recognize and accommodate secondary titles in internal and external communications
  • Mandate that statutory references remain controlling until changed by law
  • Require Secretary to submit congressional notification of adopting offices within 30 days
  • Require Secretary to submit recommendation on permanent renaming actions within 60 days

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Secondary title usage authorized for Secretary of Defense and DOD components in specified contexts
  • All executive departments and agencies must recognize and accommodate secondary titles in communications

Near term (90d)

  • Secretary must submit notification to Congress (through National Security Advisor) of offices/components using 'Department of War' designation by October 5, 2025
  • Secretary must submit recommendation on permanent statutory renaming to President by November 4, 2025

Long term

  • Potential legislative action to permanently rename Department of Defense to Department of War
  • Possible cultural and institutional shifts in DOD branding and external communications

Risks & tensions

  • Statutory names remain unchanged; order explicitly states legal/statutory/international obligations take precedence, creating dual-naming complexity
  • Potential confusion in international communications and treaty contexts where 'Department of Defense' is the recognized legal entity
  • 60-day recommendation for permanent renaming may face significant congressional hurdles; no guarantee of legislative action
  • Order frames renaming as sharpening focus on 'willingness to wage war' rather than defense, which may carry diplomatic signaling risks
  • Vague 'as appropriate' qualifier for subordinate officials leaves implementation scope uncertain
Executive Order 14347: Restoring the United States Department of War · Executive Orders