Post by : Bianca
Haleem
Washington, D.C., January 15, 2026: The initiative by former President Donald Trump to rename the Pentagon as the “Department of War” might lead to expenses ranging from a few million dollars to as much as $125 million for U.S. taxpayers, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
This cost variation arises from uncertainties regarding the Pentagon's strategy to enact Trump’s executive order issued in September 2025, which aims to show a commitment to military readiness and success in warfare.
CBO indicated that $1.9 million has already been expended by various Defense Department offices on materials such as flags, plaques, and updated training resources. This figure captures only a 30-day expenditure and does not represent all offices involved, implying that actual costs could be higher.
As Congress needs to approve names of official cabinet departments, “Department of War” will be a secondary title. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly supported this renaming as part of a “fight-to-win” vision, yet no formal legislative proposal for the name change has emerged.
The CBO estimates that a limited implementation of the name shift, primarily in Hegseth's office, could come at a cost of approximately $10 million, covering administrative adjustments like new letterhead and websites. A slower rollout could lead to lower costs, while a rapid, department-wide shift might surpass $125 million.
Much of the cost uncertainty stems from the Pentagon not providing a comprehensive plan, as CBO Director Phillip Swagel communicated to Democratic senators. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley expressed disapproval of the plan, labeling it a “vanity project” that provides little benefit to national security or military personnel.
This analysis references previous renaming efforts, including the Biden administration’s attempts to eliminate Confederate-related names from Army bases, which cost about $5 million per base—more than initially projected. CBO cautioned that if Congress formally changes the department's name, costs might increase further, potentially reaching several hundred million dollars.
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