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Republicans Move to Revive ‘Department of War’ Name: ‘Americans Don’t Just Play Defense’

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Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced legislation on September 2, 2025, to restore the original title of the U.S. Department of Defense to the “Department of War.” The measure, called the Department of War Restoration Act of 2025, is co-sponsored by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and includes a companion bill in the House.

“For the first 150 years of our military’s history, Americans defeated their enemies and protected their homeland under the War Department,” Lee said in a statement. “I’m proud to introduce the Department of War Restoration Act to make President Trump’s return to tradition permanent in federal law. It should always be clear to anyone who would harm our people: Americans don’t just play defense.”

Rep. Steube emphasized the historical context, noting that “from 1789 until the end of World War II, the United States military fought under the banner of the Department of War. Thanks to their courage and sacrifice, the standard of excellence was established for all servicemembers who followed in their footsteps.”

Sen. Scott added that the title change reflects the broader mission of the U.S. military: “The United States military is not a purely defensive force. We are the most lethal fighting force on the face of the planet — and a restoration of the name Department of War reflects their true capabilities to win wars, not just respond when prodded.”

The bill would redesignate the Department of Defense as the Department of War and rename the Secretary of Defense as the Secretary of War. All current legal references to the Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense would be updated accordingly. (Read more from “Republicans Move to Revive ‘Department of War’ Name: ‘Americans Don’t Just Play Defense’” HERE)

Defense Department May Adopt Pro-America Test For K-12 Schools, Military Academies

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Future military officers and the children of U.S. service members may soon be able to satisfy government testing mandates with a new test that prioritizes traditional math and the Great Books. Because tests strongly influence what teachers teach, this would encourage more traditional, less politicized instruction for the 70,000 or so children attending Department of Defense, or DODEA, K-12 schools.

The current Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) moving through Congress would require DODEA schools to offer 11th-grade students the college admissions test of their parents’ choice. This would allow students to take the Classic Learning Test, a Great Books competitor to the SAT and ACT college entrance exams. NDAA is a must-pass annual military spending bill. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., successfully added that amendment during markup in July.

“Accepting the CLT alongside the SAT and ACT opens the door for talented students from every educational background. It’s about making sure our military academies attract the best and brightest,” Banks said in a statement to The Federalist. “Many homeschool students take the CLT, which focuses on reading, logic, and classic texts in a way other tests don’t. These are good skills to take to the academies and putting this into law would ensure future administrations can’t unilaterally undo what Secretary Hegseth is trying to achieve.”

The NDAA amendment occurred after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tweeted his support for accepting CLT at military academies in May. Hegseth is the coauthor, with David Goodwin, of a 2022 New York Times bestselling book about classical education, Battle for the American Mind. The book follows up on a documentary Hegseth hosted for Fox News.

Four Republican senators voted against another amendment from Banks to require U.S. military academies such as West Point to accept the CLT as applicants’ college entrance exam. Those are Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, and Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana. If these four had voted for this amendment, it also would be in the NDAA this year. (Read more from “Defense Department May Adopt Pro-America Test For K-12 Schools, Military Academies” HERE)

Pentagon: Trump, Hegseth’s ‘Leadership’ Inspired More Recruits — Targets Met Months Ahead of Schedule

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The Department of Defense (DOD) has been meeting its military recruiting goals months ahead of schedule after barely scraping by and sometimes falling short under the Biden administration, prompting Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell to attribute the recent success to the “leadership” displayed by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Parnell announced that both the Air Force and Space Force hit their recruiting goals three months early, just a month after the Navy and Army accomplished the same.

“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, enthusiasm to serve is at an all-time high. Since November 5, 2024, the U.S. military has seen the highest recruiting percentage mission achieved in 30 years,” the DOD official said.

When asked what factors have contributed to the better recruitment under Trump and Hegseth compared to under former President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Parnell said the Pentagon “recently stood up a recruiting task force here a couple of weeks ago to analyze and look at just these types of questions.”

He continued, “Recruiting is a constellation of different things … To answer your question directly, I believe that with President Trump as a commander-in-chief and Secretary Hegseth at the helm here in the DOD, leadership matters — and certainly their leadership and moral clarity as it pertains to certain issues, not just here within the department, but all around the world, has inspired people to want to join and serve this country in great numbers.” (Read more from “Pentagon: Trump, Hegseth’s ‘Leadership’ Inspired More Recruits — Targets Met Months Ahead of Schedule” HERE)

Pentagon announces crackdown on suspected leaks in Defense Department

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Defense Department personnel could be subject to a lie detector test as part of the Pentagon’s recently announced crackdown on “unauthorized disclosures of national security information.”

In a memo released Friday, Joe Kasper, chief of staff for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, directed the director for Defense Intelligence (Counterintelligence, Law Enforcement, and Security) to investigate unauthorized disclosures of sensitive and classified information throughout the Defense Department.

The memo provided no details about the alleged leaks from the Pentagon.

“This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense,” Mr. Kasper wrote. “The report will include a complete record of unauthorized disclosures within the Department of Defense and recommendations to improve such efforts.”

The use of a polygraph test in the investigation will be done “in accordance with applicable law and policy,” the memo stated. (Read more from “‘Excited’: Now Another Big Name Close to Trump Will Travel to Greenland This Week” HERE)

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Pentagon, Energy Dept. Nuclear Research Projects Tapped Sanctioned Chinese Communist Party Supercomputers

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The Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Energy (DOE) have funded more than 100 research projects using Chinese government supercomputers sanctioned by the U.S. for collaborating with China’s military, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.

The DCNF compared federally-funded research project reports against entities sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). The DCNF identified 102 projects, primarily conducted through U.S. national labs, involving at least one of five sanctioned Chinese supercomputer centers in Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Tianjin.

While it’s unclear what information may have been shared with the sanctioned supercomputers, intelligence analysts and lawmakers say the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is committed to weaponizing research with dual civilian and military applications.

“It is unacceptable that federally-funded researchers continue to use Chinese supercomputing centers that have been blacklisted for supporting China’s military buildup,” Michigan Republican Rep. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, told the DCNF. “These systems have been instrumental in China’s hypersonic missile research, nuclear weapons development, and other strategic capabilities that directly threaten U.S. national security. The use of these centers by American researchers poses serious risks of U.S. technology transfer and cyber exploitation.”

Additionally, some research projects included China-based co-authors belonging to other sanctioned institutes serving the Chinese military, such as universities subordinate to China’s Central Military Commission. (Read more from “Pentagon, Energy Dept. Nuclear Research Projects Tapped Sanctioned Chinese Communist Party Supercomputers” HERE)

DOD ‘Social Engineering’ Program Developed Bots Capable Of Psychological Warfare

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The Department of Defense funded a “large scale social deception” program, according to public spending disclosures. The Federalist has uncovered documents showing how the federal government used “social engineering” programs to develop networks of fraudulent social media accounts capable of violating Americans’ rights to speech and privacy online — and, potentially, psychological warfare.

The DOD awarded more than $9.1 million for Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) for “ACTIVE SOCIAL ENGINEERING DEFENSE… LARGE SCALE SOCIAL DECEPTION” starting in 2018, according to government funding disclosures. Of the total amount promised, the federal government reportedly paid — or “outlayed” — more than $268,000 for the project.

TRSS is a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, which owns the leftist media outlet Reuters. According to the company’s website, it offers “scalable solutions to governments and global institutions,” and its leadership “leverages real-world experience in the US Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, law enforcement and the private sector.” The Air Force awarded the contract, and the DOD’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) — the military’s shady research branch — funded the work in “large scale social deception.”

A DARPA funding document shows the Air Force’s 711th Human Performance Wing, Human Effectiveness Division, enabled this project in 2018 — initially promising just $1 million before increasing the obligated amount to more than $9.1 million. The division, according to its website, is “composed of a diverse group of scientists and engineers studying developing technologies specific to the human element of warfighting.”

Many other contracts were part of the same project, dedicated to building a network of phony online accounts, which the government would supposedly use to defend against “social engineering” attacks. While this may seem harmless, the mechanics of the system leave it open for potential use against Americans. (Read more from “DOD ‘Social Engineering’ Program Developed Bots Capable Of Psychological Warfare” HERE)

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Trump Pentagon Reportedly Preparing To Close Curtain On One Of America’s Projects Abroad

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The Trump administration is reportedly developing a plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, marking an end to the decade-long excursion in the region, two defense sources told NBC News on Wednesday.

The Department of Defense (DOD) is reportedly drafting a plan to withdraw all 2,000 troops from Syria in either 30, 60 or 90 days, sources told NBC News. Since 2014, the U.S. has maintained a troop presence in the region, mainly to fight the Islamic State out of its headquarters at al-Tanf in southern Syria.

Trump previously expressed his desire to avoid involvement in the region’s civil war, which reignited after a long quiet period after Islamic fundamentalist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swiftly toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.

“I don’t know who said that. I mean, I don’t know who said that, but we’ll make a determination on that. We’re not getting, we’re not involved in Syria,” Trump said on Jan. 28 in response to rumors that he had informed Israel of his intentions. “Syria is its own mess. They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in everyone.” (Read more from “Trump Pentagon Reportedly Preparing To Close Curtain On One Of America’s Projects Abroad” HERE)

Pentagon Alerted of Potential ‘Maritime Mass Migration’ From Haiti

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The Department of Defense revealed that it was alerted of a possible “maritime mass migration” from Haiti amid deteriorating conditions in the country.

During a House hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asked about the possibility of a massive influx of Haitian immigrants into Florida, given the country’s extreme turmoil. While stressing their efforts to control such a crisis, Pentagon officials revealed that they were aware of the possibility.

“Congressman, we’re doing a number of things to ensure that we’re keeping track of the situation and we’re prepared — at the moment, we have not yet seen large numbers of what we would characterize as maritime mass migration,” said Rebecca Zimmerman, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, to which Gaetz interjected, clarifying that they were aware of the possibility. . .

The situation in Haiti has deteriorated drastically over the past few weeks, making the prospect of a mass maritime migration more likely.

The Caribbean nation has suffered a series of cascading crises in recent years, which has culminated in violent gangs seizing control over much of the country, including 80% of the capital. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced from abroad that he would resign on Tuesday after being blocked from re-entering the country. The week prior, the government declared a state of emergency after several gangs launched an offensive of direct attacks on government buildings. (Read more from “Pentagon Alerted of Potential ‘Maritime Mass Migration’ From Haiti” HERE)

House Republicans Secure Ban on Defense Department Funding ‘Disinformation’ Industry

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House Republicans have secured a provision in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act that prohibits the Department of Defense from contracting with disinformation companies such as NewsGuard, arguing that the Pentagon should not be engaged in censorship of domestic news outlets.

The House Armed Services Committee agreed to strip many provisions of its version in negotiations with its Democrat-controlled counterpart in the Senate, but the provision targeting government funding of censorship technology remained in the final legislation, which will likely receive a vote as soon as next week.

“I am proud that House Republicans successfully fought for a provision in the FY24 NDAA that ends the far-Left’s attacks on conservative outlets,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “We will continue to defend freedom of speech against the Biden administration’s far-left overreach.”

The NDAA must pass every year to fund the military, and has become a vessel for legislation that would otherwise stand no chance to pass as a stand-alone bill. Other provisions that failed to make it into the final version include bans on the Pentagon funding drag shows and so-called “gender-affirming health care” for transgender-identifying service members. (Read more from “House Republicans Secure Ban on Defense Department Funding ‘Disinformation’ Industry” HERE)

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Biden’s Pentagon Seeks $270 Million for Diversity Initiatives, Sparks Controversy

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The Department of Defense (DOD) is set to allocate nearly $270 million in taxpayer funds from fiscal years 2022 to 2024 to advance its diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) agenda, reflecting a significant increase in spending on these initiatives. The DOD’s commitment to DEIA has grown from $68 million in fiscal year 2022 to $114.7 million in the initial request for fiscal year 2024, raising questions and concerns about the prioritization of such programs. Critics argue that the department’s focus on DEIA may divert attention from its primary mission and impact national security.

Biden’s Pentagon has consistently advocated for the integration of DEIA principles across all DOD efforts, emphasizing their impact on both the department’s workforce and its mission. The Strategic Management Plan for fiscal years 2022 to 2026 underscores the goal to institutionalize the advancement of DEIA and the value of diversity within the department.

The allocated funds in fiscal year 2022 were designated for the Department of the Air Force, specifically aimed at enhancing training programs, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. This included unconscious bias diversity training and increased aviation scholarships for underrepresented universities’ Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets. In 2023, $86.5 million was channeled into dedicated diversity and inclusion activities, supporting various programs to further DEIA values and objectives.

However, the specifics of the proposed $114.7 million for fiscal year 2024 remain unclear, with more information expected in the upcoming “DEIA 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan.” Critics argue that the vague nature of funding requests raises concerns about transparency and accountability regarding the actual implementation of DEIA activities within the DOD.

The controversy surrounding the DOD’s approach to DEIA extends beyond funding, as visible manifestations of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the diversity agenda draw criticism. The leaked diversity, equity, and inclusion document from the National Security Agency (NSA), part of the DOD, highlights the promotion of CRT and transgender ideology within the agency.

Republican Representative Mike Waltz expressed concern over the perceived shift in the military’s focus, emphasizing the potential impact on the military’s effectiveness and how it is perceived by adversaries. The creation of the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion and appointments like General (Ret.) Lester Lyles as its chair indicate the DOD’s commitment to improving racial/ethnic diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity within the military.

The controversy surrounding the DOD’s adoption of woke ideology, including CRT, extends to educational institutions like West Point, where cadets are reportedly taught CRT concepts. Additionally, high-profile figures within the DOD, such as General Mark Milley and Bishop Garrison, have defended CRT and led efforts to counter extremism within the military.

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