U.S. Considers Renaming Department of Defense to Department of War

On January 15, 2026, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office released an estimate regarding a proposal supported by President Donald Trump to rename the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.” The analysis concluded that the change could cost between $10 million and $125 million, depending on the scale of implementation.

The costs would primarily stem from replacing signage, official documents, digital systems, uniforms, stationery, and rebranding across military installations and federal agencies. The Department of Defense, the White House Office of Management and Budget, and Congress would all be involved in approving and executing such a change.

The proposal revived historical terminology used prior to 1947, when the National Security Act renamed the Department of War as the Department of Defense. The suggestion sparked debate over symbolism, militarization of language, and budget priorities.