Resolution criteria
YES if, by 11:59:59 pm ET on December 31, 2025, a U.S. public law takes effect that changes the legal name of the executive department from “Department of Defense” to “Department of War.” Verification will rely on: (a) Congress.gov listing of the enacted Public Law and slip-law text, and (b) the Office of the Law Revision Counsel’s U.S. Code showing the updated name in 5 U.S.C. §101. If sources conflict, the enacted law’s text and effective-date clause control.
NO if no such law is in effect by the deadline. Executive orders, agency website/style changes, press releases, or informal usage alone do not count without a statute amending the department’s legal name.
Edge cases: A law passed in 2025 but with an effective date in 2026+ resolves NO. Names other than exactly “Department of War” (e.g., “Department of War and Defense”) resolve NO. Changes to subcomponents (e.g., Department of the Army) do not count.
1,000