WASHINGTON 

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday intended to rename the US Department of Defense to the Department of War, and signaled that he would turn to Congress to make the change official.

"I think it sends a message of victory. I think it sends a message of strength, very strong, much stronger than anyone would really understand," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The US president said he would work with Congress to codify the change, but claimed it is unclear if lawmakers would have to act to make it official.

"We're going with it very strongly. There's a question as to whether or not they have to, but we'll put it before Congress," he said.