Given that the Pentagon failed its sixth consecutive financial audit on November 16, 2023—passing only 7 of 29 sub-audits—and that Congress inserted $25.7 billion in unrequested program increases for FY 2024 procurement and RDT&E, how does Executive Order 14344, signed September 5, 2025 to rebrand the Department of Defense as the "Department of War," address these accountability failures?

Congress passed the National Security Act on July 26, 1947, merging the Department of War (established 1789), the Department of the Navy, and the newly created Department of the Air Force into the National Military Establishment. On August 10, 1949, Congress amended that act to rename the National Military Establishment the Department of Defense. Why did lawmakers choose “Defense” over retaining “War,” and what strategic and political priorities did this change reflect?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted, "We won WWI, and we won WWII, not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department." Which critical element of America"s victory in the world wars does this statement overlook?