WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that India and Russia had aligned too closely with China, following their participation in this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit hosted by Beijing. “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” he wrote on his social media platform.
At the same time, Trump announced a symbolic rebranding of the Pentagon, authorizing the Department of Defense to use the title “Department of War” in official and public contexts. A White House statement said the change was meant to convey “a stronger message of readiness and resolve.”
Although the department’s legal name remains unchanged, the order allows officials to use secondary titles such as “Secretary of War” in correspondence, ceremonies, and other communications. Trump, who has often criticized the current title as too defensive, argued that the earlier designation reflected America’s victories in the two world wars.
“Restoring the name ‘Department of War’ will sharpen the focus of this Department on our national interest and signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war to secure its interests,” the White House document stated.
The move is part of Trump’s broader reshaping of the Pentagon since taking office, appointing former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as its head. Hegseth, a combat veteran, has championed a “warrior ethos,” calling for the rollback of what he and Trump describe as “woke” policies, including reinstating Confederate base names and expelling transgender troops.
While a future president could reverse the rebranding, Trump’s directive instructs the Secretary of War to explore legislative and executive measures to make the change permanent.
