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Ronald W. Pruessen, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Toronto

‘We want to be offensive too’ — Trump’s Department of War move shows his flimsy grasp of history

Donald Trump Department of War Department of Defense the Department of War The United States Afghanistan Barack Obama Joe Biden Iraq

Explaining his move to rename the United States Department of Defense the Department of War, as it was known prior to 1949, President Donald Trump explained it had “a stronger sound.”

It offered better messaging too. “Defense is too defensive; we want to be offensive too,” he said.

The once and future Department of War would revive the spirit of the years when “we won everything.”

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