CBO Says Pentagon 'Department of War' Renaming Could Cost Up to $125 Million
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that renaming the Department of Defense as the "Department of War" could cost up to $125 million. The estimate applies to President Trump’s proposed rebranding of the Pentagon.
📌 Key Facts
- CBO estimates a broad, rapid statutory renaming to 'Department of War' could cost up to $125 million, while a modest internal implementation might cost about $10 million.
- Trump signed a September executive order authorizing 'Department of War' as a secondary title, after which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth changed his office signage and the Pentagon’s main URL from defense.gov to war.gov.
- Republican senators Mike Lee, Rick Scott and Marsha Blackburn introduced legislation to make the new name official, but Congress has shown little interest and the bills have not advanced.
- The Pentagon has more than 6.5 million square feet of office space, and a full statutory renaming would require changing signs, seals, and other branding at facilities worldwide.
📊 Relevant Data
The US Department of Defense budget request for fiscal year 2026 is $892.6 billion, making the estimated $125 million cost for a broad renaming to 'Department of War' approximately 0.014% of the annual budget.
Military budget of the United States — Wikipedia
In 2023, active-duty US military personnel were 68.0% White, 17.6% Black, 3.6% Asian, 6.7% multi-racial, with 19.5% identifying as Hispanic or Latino, compared to the US civilian population where Whites are about 59%, Blacks 13.6%, Asians 6%, and Hispanics 18.9%.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
The percentage of racial minorities in the active-duty US military increased from 30.0% in 2010 to 32.0% in 2023, with Black service members overrepresented at 17.6% compared to 13.6% in the civilian population.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
The rename from Department of War to Department of Defense in 1949 was part of the National Security Act of 1947, which unified the Army, Navy, and newly created Air Force under one department to streamline operations and reflect a shift to a defensive, alliance-based strategy post-World War II.
Why the US Department of War Has Changed Names Through History — History.com
A September 5, 2025, YouGov poll found that only 11% of US adults support renaming the Department of Defense to Department of War, while 44% oppose it, with no detailed demographic breakdowns available in the results.
Would you support or oppose renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War? — YouGov
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