By Wang Mengjie
王梦杰
The US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 5 to restore the historical name of the US Department of Defense, renaming it the Department of War. Correspondingly, the titles of the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and other officials were changed to the Secretary of War and equivalent designations. The move has sparked controversy within the US and raised widespread concerns in the international community.
美国总统特朗普9月5日签署行政令，决定恢复美国国防部历史旧称，将其更名为“战争部”，并把国防部长赫格塞思等人的职衔相应改为“战争部长”等对应称谓。这一举动不仅在美国国内引发争议，更在国际社会激起广泛忧虑。
The evolution of the names of US military institutions reflects the expansion of the US. Established in 1789, the Department of War once led the country in expanding its territory and influence through military means. With the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947, the Truman administration centralized military command under the newly created national military establishment. In 1949, an amendment to the Act renamed the national military establishment the Department of Defense. Although this change is seen as a response to the post-WWII international situation, it does not signify that the US has truly embarked on a path of peace. Data show that from the end of WWII to 2001, there were 248 conflicts worldwide, 201 of which involved the US, making up over 80% of the total. Since WWII, the US has instigated or waged the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, the Libyan Civil War, and the Syrian Civil War, using military hegemony to pave the way for expansion.
美国军事机构名称的变迁见证着美国的扩张。1789年设立的“战争部”曾主导美国不断通过军事手段扩张领土和影响力。随着1947年《国家安全法》的颁布，杜鲁门政府将军事指挥权统一交由新成立的“国家军事机构”。1949年，该法修正案将“国家军事机构”更名为“国防部”。虽然这一调整被认为是对二战后国际局势的回应，但并不意味着美国真正走上和平的道路。有数据显示，从二战结束到2001年，全世界发生了248次冲突，其中201次与美国相关，占比高达80%以上。二战结束以来，美国挑起或发动朝鲜战争、越南战争、海湾战争、科索沃战争、阿富汗战争、伊拉克战争、利比亚战争、叙利亚战争，用军事霸权为扩张开路。
The restoration of the Department of War name reflects a shift in US foreign strategy, effectively repackaging military expansion and giving a "legitimate" veneer to its unilateralist strategy. After returning to the White House, Trump continued the "America First" policy he pursued during his first term. Although the US has shown signs of strategic retrenchment in Europe and elsewhere, its military expansion has only intensified, which is reflected in sharply increased defense budgets, the accelerated deployment of the "Golden Dome" system, and the open bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities. Besides, Trump’s public calls to seize Greenland and annex Canada, along with demands that other NATO members shoulder more defense spending, have long stirred discontent among allies. The narrative shift from "Defense" to "War" further indicates that the US is seeking to challenge the international security order and rules through force, exposing an extreme self-interest that has raised serious concerns worldwide.
恢复“战争部”名称，折射出美国对外战略的调整，实际是将军事扩张的叙事重新包装，为单边主义战略披上“合法外衣”。特朗普重返白宫后，延续其第一任期内的“美国优先”主张，虽然美国在欧洲等地有战略收缩的迹象，但军事扩张势头有增无减，大幅提升国防预算，推进部署“金穹”系统，公然轰炸伊朗核设施，都是具体的表现。特朗普公开叫嚣“夺取格陵兰岛”“吞并加拿大”，要求北约其他成员承担更多军费，早已令盟友心生不满。从“国防”到“战争”的叙事转变更表明，美国正试图以武力进一步挑战国际安全秩序与规则，暴露出极端利己主义本质，引起国际社会强烈担忧。
The renaming also serves the political purpose to reinforce Trump's persona and consolidate his political position. With more than a year remaining before the midterm elections, fierce battles over redistricting and other issues are underway between the two US parties. By renaming the Department of Defense, Trump can signal his determination to change the Washington establishment, strengthen his image as a disrupter of tradition, and solidify and expand his base of support. Since taking office in January this year, Trump has wielded the tariff hammer recklessly, aggressively pushed deportation policies, drastically cut federal employees, and shut down numerous government agencies, while also facing multiple lawsuits and strong opposition. Introducing a highly controversial military reform at this juncture can draw public and media attention and divert focus from other pressing issues. Moreover, the renaming can provide a veneer of legitimacy for steadily expanding military expenditures of the US, normalize the concept of "normalization of war" in public perception, reduce domestic anti-war resistance to military buildup, and better secure support from the military-industrial complex.
此次更名还有强化政治人设巩固政治地位的考量。当前距中期选举还有一年多时间，美国两党围绕选区重划等问题展开了激烈博弈。通过为国防部更名，特朗普可以展示“改变华盛顿建制”的决心，强化其“颠覆传统”的人设，巩固并扩大支持者群体。自今年1月上任以来，特朗普肆意挥舞“关税大棒”，强推移民驱逐计划，大幅裁撤联邦雇员，大量关停政府机构，面临多项司法诉讼和巨大反对压力。此时抛出极具争议的军事改革话题，可吸引社会和媒体注意力，转移舆论焦点。此外，更名还可为美持续扩大的军事开支提供合法性支撑，将“战争常态化”植入公众认知，消解美国国内反战舆论对扩张军备的阻力，更好地争取军工复合体的支持。
It should be noted, however, that since a formal name change requires congressional approval, this executive order only allows the Department of War to be used as a secondary designation for the Department of Defense (essentially an alias). Nevertheless, the executive order directs Hegseth to take measures to advance a permanent renaming of the Department of Defense. Several Republican lawmakers have already submitted related bills to the US Congress. Amid growing political polarization and heavy fiscal pressures, this move has sparked intense debate domestically. According to US government estimates, the renaming could entail direct costs of several billion US dollars, including updates to documents, signage, and systems, with indirect costs likely even higher.
需要指出的是，由于正式改名需要国会批准，这道行政令只是将“战争部”作为国防部的“次级称谓”使用（相当于代称）。不过，行政令要求赫格塞思采取措施以推动国防部实现永久更名。目前，已有多名共和党议员向国会提出相关更名议案。在政治极化加剧、财政负担沉重的背景下，美国政府这一做法在其国内引发巨大争议。据美政府机构估算，更名将导致包括文件、标识、系统更新等数十亿美元的直接支出，间接成本更高。
At a time when the international community broadly advocates multilateral security cooperation, the act of renaming the US Department of Defense clearly runs counter to this mainstream trend. Against the backdrop of soaring "hegemonic costs" and a rapidly evolving global power structure, this attempt to revive US hegemony through a mere name change not only fails to restore its steadily declining international credibility but may also heighten global vigilance and resistance toward American-style hegemonism.
当前国际社会普遍倡导多边主义安全合作，美国防部的更名明显与这一主流趋势背道而驰。在“霸权成本”高企、全球力量格局加速演变的背景下，这种妄图通过名称变更重振霸权地位的做法，不仅无法挽回其国际信誉的持续下滑，反而会加剧世界各国对美式霸权主义的警惕与抵制。