Story perspectives

Steube, Lee Propose Renaming Defense to War, Cost $10-125 M

4/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

Rep. Greg Steube and Sen. Mike Lee introduced legislation to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
The bill would change about 7,600 legal references from “Secretary of Defense” to “Secretary of War,” with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimating costs of $10 million to $125 million.
The Pentagon has already spent over $50 million on signage and social-media updates after President Donald Trump’s September 2025 executive order reinstating the secondary title.

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Story summary

Rep. Greg Steube and Sen. Mike Lee introduced legislation to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
The bill would change about 7,600 legal references from “Secretary of Defense” to “Secretary of War,” with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimating costs of $10 million to $125 million.
The Pentagon has already spent over $50 million on signage and social-media updates after President Donald Trump’s September 2025 executive order reinstating the secondary title.