One of earliest US war photos, Matthew Brady's "The Dead of Antietam" near Sharpsburg, MD, Sept 20, 1862. Wikimedia
Q1. The Department of War, created in 1789, was the original cabinet department responsible for the US military. It was dissolved after WW II, and ultimately reintroduced in 1949 as the Department of Defense. The name change was meant to reflect new strategic thinking with the emergence of nuclear weapons, to emphasize preventing war and promoting national security.
In September, President Trump said he was changing the name back to the Department of War. The renaming is not official since it requires yet-to-be-gained Congressional approval. Trump and Defense/War Secretary Pete Hegseth say the switch is meant to emphasize a warrior ethos and an offensive not defensive posture of the military.
What is your preference between the two names, if you have one?
In September, President Trump said he was changing the name back to the Department of War. The renaming is not official since it requires yet-to-be-gained Congressional approval. Trump and Defense/War Secretary Pete Hegseth say the switch is meant to emphasize a warrior ethos and an offensive not defensive posture of the military.
What is your preference between the two names, if you have one?
(Image: First Sec of Defense, James Forrestal (center). Like Hegseth, he attended Princeton and worked on Wall St before deploying with military. Here with Admirals King and Nimitz, 1945)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Department of Defense
57%
49%
67%
18%
67%
89%
51%
57%
55%
66%
57%
Department of War
31%
39%
23%
66%
19%
4%
30%
34%
33%
25%
31%
Not sure
1%
1%
1%
1%
0%
2%
0%
3%
1%
1%
No preference/don't care
10%
11%
10%
15%
14%
5%
19%
5%
12%
8%
10%
Q2. Last month, the Pentagon announced that journalists would no longer be accredited to enter the building or other military installations unless they sign a new agreement. In the past, reporters were required to sign a one-page agreement with stipulations about things like locking office doors and wearing badges above the waist.
The new agreement stipulates "information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified."
Secretary of Defense Hegseth defended the policy, saying "The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules—or go home."
Opponents say the new agreement is meant to stifle the press, whose news gathering activities on behalf of the public interest are protected in the Constitution.
Do you prefer more or less restriction at the Pentagon on what the press can report than has been the case in the past?
The new agreement stipulates "information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified."
Secretary of Defense Hegseth defended the policy, saying "The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules—or go home."
Opponents say the new agreement is meant to stifle the press, whose news gathering activities on behalf of the public interest are protected in the Constitution.
Do you prefer more or less restriction at the Pentagon on what the press can report than has been the case in the past?
(Image: Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971, revealing Johnson administration had withheld true purpose and scope of actions in Vietnam)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Prefer more restrictions
35%
42%
30%
73%
21%
5%
19%
34%
43%
31%
35%
About the same
22%
20%
24%
15%
28%
26%
23%
20%
21%
25%
22%
Prefer fewer restrictions
41%
36%
44%
9%
47%
68%
56%
43%
33%
43%
41%
Not sure
2%
1%
3%
3%
2%
1%
0%
2%
3%
1%
2%
Don't care
0%
1%
0%
0%
3%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
Q3. Secretary of Defense/War Pete Hegseth ordered about 800 of the US military's top leaders, including generals and admirals stationed across the country and around the world, to a meeting held Tuesday at a Marine Corps base near Washington, DC.
In his address to the assembled, Hegseth issued several new directives:
• Women must meet same physical standards as men for combat roles
• Loosened rules of engagement
• Weight tests for all, including senior officers
• A ban on "beards, long hair, and superficial individual expression"
• Empowering drill sergeants to instill a "healthy fear" in recruits via shark attacks (swarm/confront new arrivals), tossing bunks, "putting their hands on recruits."
Which of these so you support? (check all that apply)
In his address to the assembled, Hegseth issued several new directives:
• Women must meet same physical standards as men for combat roles
• Loosened rules of engagement
• Weight tests for all, including senior officers
• A ban on "beards, long hair, and superficial individual expression"
• Empowering drill sergeants to instill a "healthy fear" in recruits via shark attacks (swarm/confront new arrivals), tossing bunks, "putting their hands on recruits."
Which of these so you support? (check all that apply)
(Image: Selfie from Hegseth Instagram account)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Same combat requirements women/men - yes
63%
73%
57%
97%
60%
34%
53%
57%
70%
65%
63%
No
31%
24%
36%
3%
34%
55%
38%
35%
26%
29%
31%
Loosened rules of engagement - yes
38%
53%
25%
77%
24%
7%
45%
35%
40%
32%
38%
No
54%
41%
64%
17%
67%
83%
46%
60%
51%
56%
54%
Weight tests for all - yes
61%
74%
51%
95%
58%
32%
63%
51%
68%
60%
61%
No
34%
23%
41%
4%
38%
59%
28%
45%
28%
33%
34%
Ban on superficial expression - yes
42%
51%
35%
82%
34%
8%
30%
38%
52%
38%
42%
No
51%
43%
56%
12%
60%
82%
61%
57%
41%
53%
51%
Drill sergeant's "healthy fear" - yes
41%
53%
32%
84%
30%
5%
39%
36%
49%
34%
41%
No
54%
44%
61%
14%
65%
86%
53%
60%
47%
58%
54%
None of these
11%
5%
16%
0%
7%
21%
9%
16%
8%
11%
11%
Don't care
1%
0%
0%
0%
1%
1%
0%
2%
0%
1%
March 2025
53% wanted Hegseth fired for his role in publishing military plans in a group chat ahead of the operation, 44% did not
Topics
Entities in this poll: (rate and comment)
