Why the Trump Administration’s ‘Department of War’ Rebranding Could Cost Taxpayers As Much As $125 Million

Rebranding the Department of Defense (DoD) to the “Department of War,” as President Donald Trump has directed, could cost taxpayers as much as $125 million, a new report estimates. The report, released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Wednesday, estimates the cost of officially renaming the DoD if Congress passes the necessary legislation to do so, rather than if the Trump Administration makes the “Department of War” a secondary title for the agency. The office estimates that a “modest implementation of the order” would cost roughly $10 million, whereas a name change that “was implemented broadly and rapidly throughout the department” could come with a price tag as high as $125 million. But the office said that these estimates are “uncertain because DoD has not provided information about how it plans to implement” this rebranding. And, depending on how Congress and the DoD decide to implement an official name change, the move “could cost hundreds of millions of dollars,” the office said. Democrats Sen. Jeff Merkley and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer requested the report, after the President signed an Executive Order in September directing that the department be renamed as the “Department of War.” “I think it’s a much more appropriate name, especially in light of where the world is right now,” Trump said at the time. “We have the strongest military in the world, we have the greatest equipment in the world … every element of the military we make the best, by far.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who the Trump Administration now refers to as the “Secretary of War,” said at the time of the signing that the department is “going to go on offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct.” “This name change isn’t just about renaming; it’s about restoring,” Hegseth said. “Words matter … It’s restoring the warrior ethos. Restoring victory and clarity as an end state. Restoring intentionality to the use of force.” An official name change, though, would need to be approved by Congress. Until then, the “Department of War” will serve as a secondary title for the agency. Months after Trump signed the Executive Order, Congress has not taken up the case. According to the CBO report, costs associated with rebranding the DoD include time that staff members would spend updating document templates, websites, and letterhead, rather than working on other tasks. Other costs include funds used for signs or ceremonial objects. The costs also depend on “the speed and completeness” of a name change, the report says. “For example, immediately replacing stationery, signage, and nameplates would cost more than replacing them as existing stocks were exhausted or personnel changes occurred,” the report says. “The faster the changes were implemented, the more parts of DoD that the changes applied to, and the more complete the renaming, the costlier it would be.” But, the report says, “DoD declined to provide information on the scope, speed, and costs of its implementation plan. Therefore, CBO does not know the actual changes that DoD has made (or plans to make) or the costs that it has incurred to date (or will incur) to implement the order. Not knowing what has been done so far or DoD’s full plans limits the completeness and accuracy of CBO’s estimate.” The CBO was able to obtain a report shared with Congress that lists $1.9 million in renaming costs spent by five Office of the Secretary of Defense organizations, including for flags, plaques, identification badges, and training materials. But the CBO points out that this is not an exhaustive list of the renaming costs incurred by the DoD as a whole, and so is likely an underestimate.