President Donald Trump’s decision to revert the Department of Defense’s name to the Department of War has set off a firestorm in Washington, not just for its symbolic implications but also for its staggering price tag. According to an NBC News report published on November 12, 2025, the renaming effort could cost American taxpayers around $2 billion—a figure that has drawn both incredulity and heated debate across the political spectrum.
The eye-watering sum comes from a multitude of logistical hurdles. As reported by both NBC News and other outlets, the cost isn’t just about swapping out a few signs at the Pentagon. It’s about replacing thousands of signs, placards, letterheads, badges, and other displays at U.S. military sites across the globe. Four senior congressional staffers told NBC that simply changing department letterheads and signage could eat up $1 billion alone. The rest of the estimate, according to these sources, would go toward more complex undertakings—like rewriting digital code for all departmental websites and updating software on both classified and unclassified systems.
To put it in perspective, the Department of Defense (now, at least unofficially, the Department of War) operates a sprawling network of bases, offices, and digital infrastructure. Every single item that bears the “Department of Defense” name or logo—from the smallest lapel pin to massive building signage—would need to be replaced or updated. It’s a task that, as one might imagine, is anything but simple or cheap.
President Trump signed the executive order to rename the department in September 2025. During the signing ceremony, Trump made it clear that he saw the move as a return to America’s roots. “The name ‘Department of War,’ more than the current ‘Department of Defense,’ ensures peace through strength, as it demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our Nation at a moment’s notice, not just to defend,” the White House website declared, as cited by NBC News.
Trump also pointed out that President George Washington originally established the Department of War in 1789 to oversee the military and navy. “It’s a much more appropriate name, especially in light of where the world is right now,” he stated in the Oval Office, according to NBC. “We won the First World War, we won the Second World War, we won everything before that and in between. And then we decided to go woke, and we changed the name to Department of Defense. So we’re going Department of War.”
Notably, the formal name change still requires congressional approval. Despite this, the Trump administration has already begun implementing the new moniker in practice. Secretary Pete Hegseth, formerly Secretary of Defense, now bears the title Secretary of War in all official correspondence. His office and official portraits inside the Pentagon have already been updated, as has the title for Steve Feinberg, who now serves as Deputy Secretary of War. Pictures in the Pentagon reportedly show these new titles prominently displayed.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell addressed the cost concerns directly. In a statement to NBC News, Parnell said, “The Department of War is aggressively implementing the name change directed by President Trump, and is making the name permanent.” He added, “A nod to our proud heritage, this change is essential because it reflects the Department’s core mission: winning wars. This has always been our mission, and while we hope for peace, we will prepare for war.”
However, Parnell also emphasized that the final cost estimate has not been officially determined, largely due to the recent government shutdown. “A final cost estimate has not been determined at this time due to the Democrat shutdown furloughing many of our critical civilians,” he told reporters, as quoted by multiple sources. This uncertainty has only fueled further debate about the wisdom—and timing—of the move.
While the administration touts the change as a necessary return to a “warrior ethos,” critics have been quick to point out the apparent contradiction between Trump’s promises to cut government spending and the massive outlay required for the rebranding. NBC News noted that Hegseth has promised to cut thousands of Pentagon civilian and military staffers in an effort to sustain what he has called “lethality” and a “warrior ethos.” Yet, the $2 billion price tag for the name change stands in stark contrast to these cost-cutting ambitions.
During his Veterans Day speech on November 11, 2025, Trump doubled down on the symbolic importance of the rebranding. “Under the Trump administration, we are restoring the pride and the winning spirit of the United States military,” he said, according to NBC. “That’s why we have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to the original name, Department of War.” He went on to argue that the new name sends a message of victory and readiness to America’s allies and adversaries alike.
Yet, some observers have noted that the president has repeatedly failed to mention that the name change is not yet a done deal. Congressional approval is still required for the rebrand to become official, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns about the cost and the message the change sends. Two senior Republican and two senior Democratic congressional staffers told NBC that the $2 billion estimate is based on briefings they received, and that the issue is likely to spark further debate as it moves through Congress.
In the meantime, the Pentagon is pressing ahead with the implementation, even as the final outcome remains uncertain. The Department could potentially mitigate some costs by not fully replacing all signage or by phasing in the changes over time, but no official plan has been announced to do so. For now, the focus remains on the high-profile aspects—such as updating titles, portraits, and official correspondence—while the larger, more expensive tasks loom on the horizon.
For many, the debate over the Department’s name is about more than just dollars and cents. It’s a question of national identity, military philosophy, and the image America projects to the world. As the process unfolds, all eyes will be on Congress to see whether the historic—and costly—rebranding will ultimately become the law of the land, or remain a controversial footnote in the annals of U.S. military history.
With the Pentagon’s corridors already echoing with the new titles and the nation watching closely, the fate of the Department of War name—and its multibillion-dollar price tag—hangs in the balance.
