The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that President Trump’s move to drop four letters from the “Department of Defense” and rename it the “Department of War” could cost more than $100 million.
On September 5, the President signed executive order Restores the George Washington-era names of the Department of War and the Office of the Secretary of War as secondary names for the Department of Defense and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
The order included a provision that the Secretary of War would later submit to the President a request to permanently change the name of the department.
However, rebranding The nation’s largest employer This is no small matter. The Pentagon oversees 1.32 million active duty military personnel and 750,000 civilian personnel.
According to CBO, Respond to information requests Senators Jeff Merkley and Chuck Schumer said the shift would cost about $10 million to “modestly implement” changes, mostly within the department. The CBO added that the money could be absorbed as an opportunity cost and paid for out of the existing budget.
But there are two extremes on that scale: The Congressional Budget Office says minimal implementation could cost just a few million dollars, but an extreme scenario could cost taxpayers $125 million.
“In total, costs include time spent by staff updating document templates, revising websites, or revising letterhead, as well as time spent on activities the department planned to conduct before the executive order was issued,” the Congressional Budget Office wrote. “Similarly, funding for signage or ceremonial items may reduce resources available for planned projects or activities.”
The size of the cost depends on how “aggressive” the rebranding is and how it is prioritized against remaining activities and “ongoing tasks.” For example, a more aggressive rollout might include “immediate replacement of stationery, signage and nameplates” rather than replacing existing stock when it is depleted.
“The faster a change is implemented, the more parts of the Department of Defense the change applies to, and the more complete the renaming, the higher the cost,” the CBO added.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the now appropriately named War Department has renewed its focus on readiness and lethality, and its name now reflects its status as the world’s most powerful fighting force,” the White House said. wealth. “The White House is working closely with the Department of the Army to implement the executive order.”
One of the most expensive efforts in the proposed changes is the renaming of Air Force bases. Back in March 2023, the Army expected it would cost at least $39 million to rename nine posts: Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, Fort Gordon, Fort Hood, Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, Fort Polk and Fort Rucker. That’s nearly double the $21 million the naming committee estimated a year ago.
If the War Department decides to pursue the name change across the board, other nonfederal entities will also incur costs. For example, the Congressional Budget Office noted that North Carolina spent $400,000 to rename Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty in 2023, only to change it back to Fort Bragg last summer.