Military Personnel Encouraged to Maintain a High Professional Image and Support Trump at a Scheduled Event

In a move that has sparked controversy, President Donald Trump is set to announce a new nickname for the Department of Defense on Friday, aiming to rebrand it as the "Department of War." However, it's important to clarify that this rebranding is not part of Trump's plan, as the June event's selection process for soldiers was not part of this initiative.

The June event, which commemorated the Army's 250th anniversary, saw Army leadership handpicking soldiers for the audience based on their political leanings and their looks, according to recent reports. This selection process, it seems, was not part of Trump's rebranding plan.

The request for uniformed personnel, including two officers and one enlisted, to appear at the White House in service dress, originated from the White House Military Office and was channeled through the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The Air Force leadership also requested "bios" of the nominated service members, usually including a photo.

It's worth noting that the Department of Defense cannot be renamed by Trump himself. This requires congressional approval, a fact that has been overlooked in the recent discussions about the rebranding.

Trump's executive action, however, does reportedly give Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the authority to call himself the "secretary of war" in official correspondence and public communications.

The search results do not provide any information about which soldiers the Air Force asked to accompany Trump at the formal announcement in the Oval Office on Friday. A unit-level message referred to the selected soldiers as "no fat soldiers," adding another layer of controversy to the selection process.

In the past, the White House and the Department of Defense have orchestrated events involving Trump and military personnel selected for their appearance. Trump is planning to have military personnel standing behind him during the announcement, a practice that has been seen in previous events.

Despite the controversy surrounding the June event's soldier selection process, the focus remains on Trump's planned rebranding of the Department of Defense as the "Department of War." This announcement is set to take place in the Oval Office on Friday.