The Department of Defense under President Donald Trump has quietly changed its public mission statement, altering a decades-old stated goal.

The change occurred sometime this year, according to a column in the veterans-focused news outlet Task & Purpose, and was altered to exclude the directive to “deter war”, while adding a goal to “sustain American influence abroad”.

“The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country,” the previous mission statement read.

Now, the website defines its mission as follows: “The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide a lethal Joint Force to defend the security of our country and sustain American influence abroad”.

Task & Purpose notes that the Pentagon had maintained the previous mission statement through several presidential administrations, including during the tenures of Presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton.

The Department of Defense would not have had mission statements published online prior to Mr Clinton’s presidency.

Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 / 13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA

The change, according to internet archives, occurred sometime between 2 January and 3 January.

The online change is not reflected in the Pentagon’s 2018 summary of its National Defense strategy, which includes the previous language.

“The Department of Defense’s enduring mission is to provide combat-credible military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our nation,” that summary says in its introduction. “Should deference fail, the Joint Force is prepared to win. Reinforcing America’s traditional tools of diplomacy, the Department provides military options to ensure the President and our diplomats negotiate from a position of strength.”