Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee voted along party lines late Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s effort to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, approving the change as part of the $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.The committee adopted an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), a close Trump ally, that would codify the name change. The measure was included in the annual defense policy bill after more than 14 hours of debate and consideration of roughly 900 amendments. The committee ultimately voted 44-12 to advance the legislation shortly before midnight.Trump first pushed for the change last fall through executive action, arguing that the title “Department of War” better reflects a military focused on fighting and winning conflicts. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has embraced the effort, adopting the title “Secretary of War” even though the department’s legal name remains unchanged pending congressional approval.
Opponents have argued the move is largely symbolic and would come with a significant price tag. The Congressional Budget Office estimated a government-wide renaming effort could cost as much as $125 million.
