HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — President Donald Trump announced Monday the Department of Defense will likely be renamed the “Department of War” within a week.

He said during two events in the Oval Office he doesn’t like the sound of the department’s name, which could change through a vote of top officials in his administration.

“I’m talking to the people – everybody likes that. We had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War. Then we changed it to Department of Defense. So that’s a little thing,” Trump explained during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. “It has nothing to do with your country, but it’s something that I think you’re gonna be hearing about or seeing about over the next couple of weeks. Probably that change is gonna be made over the next week or so.”

Trump said in the meeting with Lee and during a signing of executive orders that the “Department of War,” which an agency was known as from the 1790s to the 1940s, has a history of military achievements, like in both world wars. The president noted war encapsulates the department and that he wants the body to signify both defense and offense.

“It used to be called the Department of War, and it had a stronger sound. And, as you know, we won World War I, we won World War II, we won everything. Now we have the Department of Defense. We’re defenders,” Trump said during the executive order ceremony. “I don’t know. If you people want to, standing behind me, if you take a little vote, if you want to change it back to what it was where we used to win wars all the time, that’s okay with me.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, standing next to Vice President JD Vance, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi, among other officials, replied, “that’s coming soon.”

Former President Harry Truman signed into law in 1947 legislation creating the Department of Defense, which was then known as the National Military Establishment. The legislation merged the Departments of War and Navy into a single organization, and the body was given its current name two years later. Its stated mission is to provide military forces needed to deter war and ensure U.S. security.

The Department of War was created in 1789 to oversee the operation and maintenance of military branches.

Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.