Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee voted along party lines late Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s effort to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, approving the change as part of the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
The committee adopted an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), a close Trump ally, that would codify the name change. The measure was included in the annual defense policy bill after more than 14 hours of debate and consideration of roughly 900 amendments. The committee ultimately voted 44-12 to advance the legislation shortly before midnight.
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Trump first pushed for the change last fall through executive action, arguing that the title “Department of War” better reflects a military focused on fighting and winning conflicts. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has embraced the effort, adopting the title “Secretary of War” even though the department’s legal name remains unchanged pending congressional approval.
Opponents have argued the move is largely symbolic and would come with a significant price tag. The Congressional Budget Office estimated a government-wide renaming effort could cost as much as $125 million.
“Restoring the name Department of War sends an unmistakable signal to the world,” Jackson said during debate. “Deterrence only works when adversaries believe America is willing to fight and win to secure its interests.”
The proposal now heads to the full House, though its prospects in the Senate remain uncertain, where Democratic support would be needed to move the legislation forward.
Democrats criticized both the name change and the broader defense package. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who offered an amendment to reduce defense spending, said his proposal stemmed from concerns about how the Trump administration would use the funding.
“I just don’t trust the administration to use this historical budget appropriately,” Moulton said. “I’m not going to hand them a blank check to fund reckless, unilateral wars of choice.”
Hegseth celebrated the committee vote in a social media post early Friday: “The Department of War will officially be restored soon.”
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ADVANCES $1.15 TRILLION NDAA AFTER 14-HOUR DEBATE
Following the vote, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) praised the bill’s passage, saying the fiscal 2027 NDAA would strengthen American deterrence and provide service members with the resources needed to defend the country.
“The FY27 NDAA reflects months of oversight, hearings, member engagement, and collaboration to ensure the U.S. military remains the most capable and lethal fighting force in the world,” Rogers said. “I appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into this bill, and I look forward to advancing this legislation so we can give our warfighters the resources they need to strengthen our deterrence and defend our country.”
