The cost of Trump’s Department of War rebrand just leaked, and it’s even worse than you think

President Donald Trump decided to change the name of the Department of Defense back in September. He wants to call it the Department of War instead. While some people are talking about what this name means, others are now worried about how much money it will cost taxpayers.

According to People, the name change could end up costing about $2 billion. Several government staffers from both political parties shared this information with reporters. So far, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has said anything about whether this number is accurate.

The cost of Trump’s Department of War rebrand just leaked, and it’s even worse than you think. The money would go toward replacing signs, badges, letterheads, and other items that have the old name on them. These changes would need to happen at military locations all over the world. Just the signs and letterhead could cost about $1 billion by themselves.

This price tag is getting out of hand

There are other costs beyond just physical items. A big chunk of money would go toward updating computer systems. Every website run by the department would need new code written. Software on both secret and regular computer networks would also need updates.

A Pentagon spokesman named Sean Parnell explained that they have not figured out the exact cost yet. “The Department of War is aggressively implementing the name change directed by President Trump, and is making the name permanent,” he said.

“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.”

Trump pointed out that George Washington created the Department of War back in 1789 when the country was first getting started. The White House says calling it the Department of War instead of Defense shows that America is ready and willing to fight when needed, not just sit back and defend itself.

Pete Hegseth leads the department and now goes by Secretary of War instead of Secretary of Defense. His name plates and photos inside the Pentagon building already show his new title. His deputy Steve Feinberg also has a new title now.

Recent news has shown Trump’s drink products being sold at military stores, which has made some people question whether this is appropriate.Congress still needs to give the final okay before the name officially changes.

Meanwhile, the president has been making other big moves, including giving a pardon to someone who played a major role in trying to overturn the 2020 election.