United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order to change the name of Department of Defense to the Department of War, indicating America has “the strongest military,” but experts cite this will cost the taxpayers over $1 billion, reported The Independent.

In an article, published by Politico on Thursday, it was written that the change of name may cost billions of dollars as hundreds of Pentagon agencies, its global bases, stationery and other signage will need to be updated.

However, on being asked the amount needed to change the name, Trump told reporters on Friday, as quoted by The Independent, “Not a lot. We know how to rebrand without going crazy.”

Despite the Trump administration’s vowed to cut wasteful spending, the name change will cost the government money, added the report.

Earlier in February, the Biden administration’s 2026 fiscal year budget – about $50 billion or 8 percent – was proposed to be cut by the Pentagon to fund Trump’s priorities. This included border security and “ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing,” the daily quoted a press release by the deputy defense secretary – Robert G. Salesses – at the time as saying.

Previously changed names too:

Backing the change in name proposal, Trump had stated that the Pentagon’s name was changed several times in the last month.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “Everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War.”

Earlier, in the late 1940s, after the end of World War II, the Pentagon’s name was changed to the Department of Defense.

In an interview with Fox & Friends on Wednesday, now-Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, as quoted by The Independent, “We won WWI, and we won WWII, not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department — with the Department of War. As the president has said, we’re not just defense, we’re offense.”

Meanwhile, the US President also mentioned that he would put the proposal ahead of Congress. On being asked if Congress would codify the name change into law, Trump said, “I don’t know…but I’m not sure they have to. But he did say, “We’ll put it before Congress.”

It is worth mentioning that the Republicans have already introduced legislation in both the House and Senate to rename the Pentagon the Department of War.