$125 Million for a New Name? The Massive Cost of Renaming the US Department of Defense to 'War'

$125 million. That's the potential bill U.S. taxpayers could face just to change a few words on buildings, websites, and seals. According to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released on Wednesday, the push to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War comes with a hefty price tag.

The Cost of US Department of War Renaming Efforts

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in September 2025 authorizing the secondary title, claiming the current name was too "woke." Since then, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hasn't wasted any time. He's already swapped out the signage at his office and moved the agency's web presence to war.gov.

The CBO's analysis suggests that while a modest, phased-in implementation might only cost $10 million, a broad and rapid transition across all global facilities could reach $125 million. If Congress chooses a full statutory renaming, costs could even spiral into the hundreds of millions.

Political Resistance and Stalled Legislation

The request for this financial breakdown came from Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Jeff Merkley. While Republican Senators like Mike Lee and Rick Scott introduced legislation to make the name change official, the measure hasn't made significant progress in Congress. With over 6.5 million square feet of office space at the Pentagon alone, many signs and logos remain unchanged for now.