President Donald Trump's executive order (EO) instructing the Department of Defense (DOD) to use the name "Department of War" on all official signage and communications is already causing significant turmoil within the Pentagon.
That's according to a Friday article by Politico's Jack Detsch, Paul McCleary and Joe Gould, who reported that the logistical realities of Trump's EO are starting to hit home for many of the DOD's rank-and-file employees. The cost of the new name remains unknown, but initial estimates suggest a price tag of $1 billion to implement the change.
"Many expressed frustration, anger and downright confusion at the effort, which could cost billions of dollars for a cosmetic change that would do little to tackle the military’s most pressing challenges — such as countering a more aggressive alliance of authoritarian nations," Politico reported.
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The outlet cited a 2024 DOD Inspector General report, which showed that the DOD has approximately 700,000 facilities in all 50 states and 40 different countries around the world that would need new "Department of War" seals. Politico noted that other changes may include "everything from letterhead for six military branches and dozens more agencies down to embossed napkins in chow halls, embroidered jackets for Senate-confirmed officials and the keychains and tchotchkes in the Pentagon store."
"On a tactical level, it would mean having to rebrand a mountain of contracting, marketing, business development materials, you name it, both digital and otherwise, that specifically cite the Department of Defense or DOD," one unnamed defense contractor told Politico. "More strategically, even philosophically, it could raise new questions about what it means to be supporting the Department of War, which likely sends a more belligerent message to our allies and adversaries alike."
Multiple "current and former defense officials" who were given permission to speak anonymously told the publication that aside from the financial and logistical burden of the rebrand, they were worried about how the new name would impact U.S. relations abroad.
“This is purely for domestic political audiences,” one former DOD official said.. “Not only will this cost millions of dollars, it will have absolutely zero impact on Chinese or Russian calculations. Worse, it will be used by our enemies to portray the United States as warmongering and a threat to international stability.”
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Click here to read Politico's report in its entirety.