President Trump signed an executive order restoring the historic title “Department of War,” marking the 200th executive order of his presidency. The White House framed the change as a return to tradition and a projection of strength. The order directs all agencies to recognize secondary titles such as Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War in communications. The language draws on the founding era, citing George Washington’s 1789 address in which he argued that being prepared for war is the best way to preserve peace. The president said the Department of War conveys a message of readiness and resolve compared to the Department of Defense, which emphasizes only defense. Critics argue that the change risks normalizing conflict rather than deterring it. From my perspective, the Department of Defense already carried strength. Calling it the Department of War sounds unnecessary and even stupid, despite its historical roots. To the rest of the world, the Defense name has long been accepted, and I doubt most foreign observers dwell on semantics. The announcement arrived alongside another headline move. Trump declared that the 2026 G20 Summit will take place at his Doral Resort in Miami, the first U.S. hosted G20 in nearly 20 years. He emphasized that he would make no money from the event, noting that Florida’s climate and local support make it an attractive venue. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez praised the decision, saying it puts the city on the global map. For Trump, the optics matter. This fits who he is. He likes to put on a show and highlight his own properties. I do not think he would ever choose a stage that lifted someone else if he could spotlight his own. Both announcements came against the backdrop of a weak August jobs report. The U.S. economy added just 22,000 jobs, far below forecasts and the slowest growth since 2021. Unemployment rose, and economists warned the labor market is now stalling. In that context, the White House’s focus on symbolic power moves rather than bread-and-butter economics stands out. To me, it feels like filling the timeline with noise. This is chaos strategy, muzzle-level capacity, the kind Steve Bannon has long been associated with. When economic news disappoints, the administration ensures the headlines are dominated by something louder. The week also brought controversy over Trump’s assertion that he holds authority to summarily kill drug smugglers. That claim followed reports of a Venezuelan boat being fired upon earlier in the week. Critics, including Navy veteran and Senator Mark Kelly, warned against placing U.S. service members in situations that blur legal boundaries. Lawmakers on the foreign affairs committee said they had not been briefed on the incident, raising transparency concerns. My reaction is that in modern times there are many ways to intervene at sea without openly massacring human beings on camera and broadcasting it. Doing so while simultaneously reviving the Department of War feels contradictory and troubling. Taken together, the executive order, the summit announcement, and the violent rhetoric reveal a presidency focused on projection and image. Trump’s team argues that strength deters conflict and spectacle energizes supporters. Yet power without transparency risks undermining trust. Projection is not strength if credibility collapses at home and abroad. The American people see the difference between image and substance. In my view, power is not only about projection. It is about trust, and without trust, strength becomes spectacle. Sources: White House release, September 2025, Executive Order on Department of War Denverite reporting, Kyle Harris, September 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2025 Employment Report U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs press statements, September 2025 Associated Press and Reuters coverage of G20 Summit decision and Venezuelan boat incident