US EditionDepartment of War name change could cost as much as $125M: CBO
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Pentagon’s rebranding costs range from $10 million to $125 million, with statutory renaming potentially costing hundreds of millions.
- On Wednesday, the Congressional Budget Office released an assessment after requests from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., warning its estimate is uncertain because the Pentagon did not provide implementation plans.
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order last September directing the Pentagon to use the Department of War title and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth installed a plaque Nov. 13, 2025.
- The CBO estimates $125 million if the name change is applied broadly, and $10 million for a modest implementation within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, based on 30-day expenses of $1.9 million, the CBO said.
- Legislatively, the change faces hurdles as Congress must formally approve the new name; legislation by Mike Lee, Rick Scott and Marsha Blackburn shortly after the order has stalled.
- Pentagon officials responded that `This has always been our mission, and while we hope for peace, we will prepare for war`, despite Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., criticizing the cost as potentially `upward of $125 million`.
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71 Articles
Staggering cost of Pentagon push to change DoD to 'Department of War' revealed
One of the more high-profile changes to the federal government that President Donald Trump made early on in his second term was to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The total cost could be in the nine-figure range.That's according to an estimate released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and posted to X by CBS reporter Scott MacFarlane. The CBO estimated the cost under two scenarios — a per-p…
The Costly Rebranding of the Pentagon: Changing 'Defense' to 'War'
The Costly Rebranding of the Pentagon: Changing 'Defense' to 'War' The U.S. Department of Defense's potential renaming to the Department of War, driven by a 2020 executive order from President Donald Trump, could impose a hefty financial toll on taxpayers, reaching up to USD 125 million. The directive, meant to symbolize U.S. military might, encountered mixed reactions and remains unapproved by Congress.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth swiftly emb…
'Department of War' rebranding could cost as much as $125M, hundreds of millions more if it becomes legal name: CBO
The Congressional Budget Office estimates it will cost taxpayers anywhere from $10 million to $125 million to rebrand the Defense Department as the "Department of War."
Renaming the U.S. Department of Defense the ‘Department of War’ could cost up to US$125 million
Renaming the U.S. Department of Defense the Department of War could cost U.S. taxpayers as much as US$125 million depending on how broadly and quickly the change is made, according to an analysis released Wednesday from the Congressional Budget Office.
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