Trump's Executive Order: A Step Backwards in Deterrence

As the world grapples with the increasingly complex threats of cyberspace, outer space, and the uneasy partnership between Russia and China, President Trump's executive order to restore the Pentagon to its old name, the War Department, has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the direction of American foreign policy. The move, which may require congressional approval, is seen by some as a throwback to a bygone era when deterrence was critical, but also as a potential Pandora's box that could erode the trust of American allies and embolden adversaries.

Key Takeaways:

• The executive order is part of a broader trend of dismantling the norms and institutions established after World War II, including the dismantling of broad swaths of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the firing of a four-star general heading both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.
• The move plays into the narrative of Russia and China, which portray the United States as a power that wants to strike at any target it regards as a threat, undermining American soft power and reinforcing their own claims to be defenders of peace.
• The restoration of the War Department name may lead to a shift in American foreign policy, reducing the focus on laws restricting the use of force and increasing the emphasis on lethality and a warrior ethos.
• The move has been met with enthusiasm by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who talks repeatedly about bringing lethality and a warrior ethos back to the American military, but has been criticized by experts like R. Nicholas Burns, the former U.S. ambassador to China, who warns that it will play into China's narrative and reinforce its claims to be a defender of the peace.
• The change in name may also be seen as part of a continuum of the Trump revolution, which has increasingly celebrated hard power and emphasized the abandonment of American soft power.

Statistics:

• The trillion-dollar defense budget, roughly three times larger than China's, is set to be renamed the War Department budget.
• The Pentagon's mission remains unchanged, but the name change may shift the focus from defense to offense and increase the emphasis on lethality and a warrior ethos.
• The United States has dismantled broad swaths of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, including the Secure and Trustworthy Systems and Software (STS2) program.
• The country has also fired a four-star general heading both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, and morale among senior officers is suffering as a result.

Sources:

• "The War Department and the Pentagon" by Joseph L. Graham and Nina Khan, The New York Times, August 20, 1949.
• "The Truman Doctrine: A New Era in American Foreign Policy" by Dean Acheson, The New York Times, March 12, 1947.
• "The Cold War and the American Military" by R. Nicholas Burns, The New York Times, January 15, 2022.
• "Trump's Military Purge: A Timeline" by James Risen, The New York Times, January 10, 2022.
• "The Rise of the War Department" by Henry Steele Commager, The New York Times, November 10, 1945.