The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act has been released and it appears that the Department of Defense and it's department head will not undergo name changes after all.
The NDAA is series of annual U.S. federal laws that establish the policies, organizational structures, and recommended funding levels for the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy's national security programs, and other defense-related activities. It is considered "must-pass" legislation and has been enacted annually for more than six decades.
In September, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to restore the historic names "Department of War" and "Secretary of War" as secondary titles for the Department of Defense and its leader, Pete Hegseth.
According to Dan Lamothe, military affairs reporter for The Washington Post, "This congressional document sticks with 'Defense Department' and "Secretary of Defense," as is codified in law. No War Department or Secretary of War here."
Congressional reporter Jamie Dupree posted on X, "Here is your homework - the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act is now out, weighing in at 3,086 pages. The defense bill does not change the name of the Department of Defense (597 mentions) to the Department of War (zero)."
One X user noted that "Secretary of Defense mentioned 695 times Secretary of War mentioned 0 times."
Podcaster Kevin Baron expressed his disappointment on X, snarkily writing, "I still prefer Department of Awesomesauce."
