Workers were seen replacing plaques for the U.S. Secretary of Defense (now ‘Secretary of War’), Pete Hegseth, at the Pentagon on Friday (September 5).

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to rename the Department of Defense the "Department of War," reverting to a title it held until after World War Two when officials sought to emphasize the Pentagon's role in preventing conflict.

Trump's move represented his latest effort to rebrand the U.S. military, which has included his decision to preside over an extraordinary military parade in downtown Washington, D.C., and to restore the original names of military bases that were changed after racial justice protests in 2020.

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

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 5, 2025) (US NETWORK POOL - No use USA.)

1. PERSON TAKING DOWN PETE HEGSETH’S ‘SECRETARY OF DEFENSE’ PLAQUE ON DOOR

2. PERSON REPLACING IT WITH PETE HEGSETH’S ‘SECRETARY OF WAR’ PLAQUE

3. PERSON PUTTING UP ‘THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR’ PLAQUE

4. TWO WORKERS PUTTING UP ‘SECRETARY OF WAR / PETE HEGSETH’ PLAQUE

5. VARIOUS OF WORKERS TAKING OUT ‘SECRETARY OF DEFENSE’ LETTERS ON WALL