Washington, D.C., January 15, 2026: Former President Donald Trump’s initiative to rename the Pentagon as the “Department of War” may result in costs ranging from a few million dollars to over $125 million for U.S. taxpayers, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) review.
This cost variability stems from the uncertainty surrounding the Pentagon’s strategy to enforce Trump’s executive order from September 2025, which he claims showcases the nation’s capability to engage in warfare swiftly.
The CBO highlighted that the Pentagon’s comptroller has already recorded $1.9 million in expenses incurred by five offices in the Defense Department for items like flags and updated training content. This amount reflects only a 30-day span and doesn’t account for additional offices, indicating that expenses could be significantly higher.
Since a formal approval from Congress is required for official cabinet department names, the designation “Department of War” remains a secondary title. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has expressed support for this name under a “fight-to-win” philosophy, although no official legislation has been introduced for the name change.
CBO projects that a limited adoption, primarily within Hegseth’s office, could tally around $10 million, predominantly for administrative modifications such as updating letterhead and ceremonial items. Conversely, a swift, extensive shift department-wide might exceed costs of $125 million.
A major part of the uncertainty arises from the lack of detailed plans from the Pentagon, according to CBO Director Phillip Swagel, who spoke to Democratic senators. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley criticized the endeavor as a “vanity project” lacking value for national security and military families.
The analysis references prior renaming projects, like the Biden administration’s effort to eliminate Confederate names from Army bases, which ended up costing about $5 million per base—far exceeding initial projections. The CBO cautioned that should Congress move forward with the official renaming, expenses may skyrocket, possibly reaching hundreds of millions.
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