Executive Order Restores “Department of War” Name for U.S. Defense
Impact Score: 4.2
Timeline: Within 30 days: notification to Congress on adopting secondary titles. Within 60 days: recommendation on permanent renaming submitted.
Summary: Signed by President Trump on September 5, 2025, this executive order restores the original name “Department of War” alongside the Department of Defense, allowing the Secretary of Defense and subordinate officials to use new secondary titles for ceremonial purposes. The order emphasizes continuity of statutory responsibilities while signaling a potential shift to a more assertive military posture. Vanderbilt University programs in political science, international studies, and defense-related research may experience impacts from changes in policy and funding priorities, requiring curriculum and research adjustments.
Key Actions: Vanderbilt’s Office of Federal Relations should monitor funding and policy shifts; Political Science and International Studies departments to research implications; Communications office to manage information dissemination; Law School and Peabody College to explore new academic opportunities.
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