Nomenclature enthusiasts are having a banner year under US President Donald Trump. On his first day in office this year, Trump signed an executive order, renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. More presidential suggestions of things ripe for renaming followed, including army bases, public holidays, a football team, the Kennedy Centre and the Persian Gulf. Finding things to rename seemingly even surpasses Trump’s other favourite thing to find, which is excuses to not follow through on his threats against Russia.

It was therefore utterly unsurprising that this month, Trump signed an executive order changing the name of the Department of Defence to the Department of War. Unfortunately for Trump, it requires Congress to officially change the name, so currently the Department of War primarily comprises Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new nameplate for the office door and his updated X handle.

US President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth, who has the new title of war secretary, in the Oval Office with the executive order renaming the Department of Defence.Credit: AP

Nevertheless, announcing the reasons for the change, Hegseth 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.” This kind of macho, tough guy rhetoric is very on-brand for Trump and Hegseth, even though Trump is a draft dodger and one of Hegseth’s first acts as Defence Secretary was to have a make-up studio installed in the Pentagon.

It could cost up to

© The Sydney Morning Herald