Trump Wants 'Department of War,' Axios Wonders About Cost, Not Purpose
The mainstream media breathlessly details budgetary concerns over Donald Trump's proposed 'Department of War' rebrand, citing the CBO's 'uncertain' $10 million to $125 million estimate for new signage and web domains. Axios fails to connect the dots: This isn't just a name change; it's a rhetorical escalation building on decades of military expansion. The Department of Defense itself was a
post-WWII rebranding of the War Department, part of an effort to soften the image of perpetual global intervention. Now, we're told, the masks are coming off, with the same politicians and media outlets who fund and promote these wars suddenly concerned about the 'performative government' of transparency. One might wonder if the CBO has estimated the spiritual and human cost of a nation openly
embracing 'Department of War' as its central identity, rather than fixating on the price of changing a few thousand logos. Perhaps Senator Merkley, who acknowledges the move is 'performative,' could re-evaluate his own track record on military spending and aid packages that fuel these very 'wars.' It's not the name that makes it war, Senator; it's the 1.5 trillion dollar budget Axios mentioned in
passing, which was approved under the 'Department of Defense' banner. What's $125 million for a label when you're already dropping trillions on the product?