Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee have moved forward with changing the Department of Defense's name to the "Department of War" as part of their version of the annual defense policy legislation.

The name change language was included during closed-door deliberations over the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), according to committee proceedings. The proposal represents part of the Trump administration's desired military policy changes.

The committee's action comes as lawmakers are also considering additional defense spending measures. Some reports indicate discussions around significant defense funding increases, though specific amounts vary between different legislative proposals.

The NDAA typically undergoes extensive review and revision before final passage, meaning the name change provision could face additional scrutiny in subsequent legislative steps. The Defense Department was originally established as the Department of War before being renamed to the Department of Defense in 1949.

The committee's version of the defense bill will now proceed through the regular legislative process, where it may be modified or combined with House versions of similar legislation before any final congressional vote.