Trump’s ‘Department of War’ name change could cost $161 million

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump’s move to revive the name “Department of War” could cost anywhere from a few million dollars to more than US$125 million (S$161 million), depending on how aggressively the Pentagon tries to carry out the change, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

That wide range reflects uncertainty over how the Pentagon plans to implement Mr Trump’s September 2025 executive order

authorising the name

, which Mr Trump said “demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our nation at a moment’s notice”. 

The CBO said it had obtained a limited spending report from the Pentagon’s comptroller showing US$1.9 million already spent by five Defence Department organisations on items such as flags, plaques and updated training materials.

That figure covers only a 30-day period and excludes many offices, leading the agency to believe it understates total costs so far.

Because only Congress can create or name Cabinet departments, the War Department is considered a secondary name – but it is one that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has enthusiastically embraced as part of what he calls a “fight-to-win” ethos.

The administration has yet to propose a formal name change to Congress.

The CBO estimates that a modest implementation confined largely to Mr Hegseth’s immediate office could cost about US$10 million, mostly in staff time and administrative changes such as updated letterhead, websites and ceremonial materials.

If the change is phased in slowly, it could cost even less.

But a broader, faster roll-out across defence-wide agencies could drive costs above US$125 million, the budget agency said. 

Much of the uncertainty stems from the Pentagon’s failure to provide details on how it plans to implement the order, CBO director Phillip Swagel told Democratic senators in a letter on Jan 13.

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, requested the analysis.

“Instead of prioritising bringing down the cost of groceries or healthcare, Trump and his cronies are focused on vanity projects like renaming the Department of Defence to the Department of War – potentially costing American taxpayers upwards of US$125 million,” Mr Merkley said in a statement.

“This move is performative government at its worst and does nothing to advance national security or help service members and their families.”

Army bases

The Pentagon and the White House Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

The CBO analysis draws heavily on past renaming efforts, particularly the Biden administration initiative to remove Confederate-linked names from US Army bases.

That effort ultimately cost far more than initially projected, with the Army revising its estimate for renaming nine bases to about US$39 million from US$21 million.

The CBO now estimates the final cost was roughly US$5 million per base.

If Congress were to formally rename the department through legislation, costs could rise further.

A comprehensive and immediate overhaul of regulations, contracts and signs could push total expenses into the “hundreds of millions of dollars”, the CBO warned. BLOOMBERG