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6mo ago

CBO Estimates ‘Department of War’ Rebrand Will Cost $10 Million to $125 Million

The nonpartisan estimate highlights uncertainty because the Pentagon has not detailed how it will implement the order.

FILE - Workers remove sign lettering at the Pentagon after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aiming to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War in Washington, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mike Pesoli, File)
The Pentagon on Oct. 22, 2025. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
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Overview

  • The CBO projects roughly $10 million for a modest rollout confined largely to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and up to $125 million for a broad, rapid adoption across defense-wide agencies.
  • If Congress were to legally rename the department, the CBO warns costs could rise into the hundreds of millions of dollars, as only Congress can change the agency’s formal name.
  • The estimate is uncertain because the Defense Department did not provide implementation details, though a Pentagon report showed $1.9 million spent in 30 days by five OSD organizations on flags, plaques, badges and training materials.
  • Despite visible rebranding—war.gov, updated Pentagon signage and a Department of War plaque, and Pete Hegseth using the title 'Secretary of War'—the department remains legally the Department of Defense.
  • Costs hinge on scope and speed, including whether signage, stationery and digital assets are replaced immediately or phased in, according to the analysis requested by Sen. Jeff Merkley and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.