Trump's "Department of War" rebrand could cost $125 million

Driving the news: The CBO detailed its findings Wednesday in a letter to Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

• The office cautioned its estimate is "uncertain," however, because the Pentagon declined to share information about its implementation.

The fine print: Total costs will vary based on how quickly and widely the "War" nomenclature is adopted, including on signs, letterheads and websites. (What was once defense.gov is now war.gov.)

• A report obtained by the CBO lists $1.9 million in renaming costs across five organizations within the Office of the Secretary of Defense for items such as flags, plaques, badges and training materials.
• But that report "may underestimate how much the name change has cost DOD to date," the CBO said.

What they're saying: "Simply put: Trump does not have the authority to rename DOD without an act of Congress," Merkley said in a statement.

• "This move is performative government at its worst and does nothing to advance national security or help service members and their families."

The big picture: Some of the administration's most ambitious projects — like the Golden Dome missile shield and the Golden Fleet naval revitalization — come with ready-for-market names.

Go deeper: Trump's Cabinet of main characters