US Congressman calls Pentagon renaming pointless

U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, has dismissed President Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War as “meaningless”

He shared his view in an interview with NBC News, published on the outlet’s YouTube channel.

The lawmaker said that renaming the Pentagon makes no sense since, in practice, nothing has changed.

“What signal are you sending when you impose 50% tariffs against India—the most important country we have been trying to make our ally? <...> It sends a signal [to India] to join our adversaries instead of joining us,” Smith stressed.

The Department of War, established in 1789, was renamed the Department of Defense in 1949 under President Harry S. Truman to reflect a unified military structure post-World War II. Trump’s executive order aims to revert to the historical title, arguing it better conveys strength, though critics like Smith contend it risks signaling aggression without strategic gain. Smith’s remarks also highlight concerns about U.S. foreign policy coherence, particularly as India strengthens ties with China and Russia through forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), potentially undermining the QUAD’s role in the Indo-Pacific.

By Khagan Isayev