Six sources who spoke with NBC News believe the Trump administrations insistence on renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War could cost a whopping $2 billion. The new name currently remains secondary to the original, as a true name change must be approved by Congress. But after Trump signed an executive order announcing the new moniker, the Pentagon immediately changed its social handles and website URL to match. Additionally, a sign outside the office of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth identifies it as The Office of the Secretary of War. Related Republican congresswoman rages at Democrats for bringing up their eight-week vacation The order also directed all executive branch departments to use the Department of War title in internal and external communications. It also claimed, The name Department of War, more than the current Department of Defense, ensures peace through strength, as it demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our Nation at a moments notice, not just to defend.A full name change would require significant labor to change the thousands of signs, letterhead, plaques, and the like around the world that currently say Department of Defense. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The expert sources identified as two senior Republican congressional staffers, two senior Democratic congressional staffers, and two other people briefed on the potential cost said one of the biggest costs of a name overhaul would lie in the need to rewrite code for department websites and software across both its classified and unclassified systems.The sources also said it could cost $1 billion just to change the departments signage and letterhead.At the same time, the Trump administration has reportedly made no meaningful effort to push legislation through Congress to achieve an official name change. In September, a group of Senate Democrats wrote to the Congressional Budget Office to request a cost assessment of changing the name even secondarily, slamming the new title as risking confusion, redundancy, and unnecessary cost expenditure.Given the Trump administrations repeated emphasis on fiscal restraint this symbolic renaming is both wasteful and hypocritical, they said. It appears to prioritize political theater over responsible governance, while diverting resources from core national security functions.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnellblamed the Democrat shutdown for a lack of information on total costs. The Department of War is aggressively implementing the name change directed by President Trump, and is making the name permanent, he said in a statement to NBC News. A final cost estimate has not been determined at this time due to the Democrat shutdown furloughing many of our critical civilians. A nod to our proud heritage, this change is essential because it reflects the Departments core mission: winning wars. This has always been our mission, and while we hope for peace, we will prepare for war.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.