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President Donald Trump’s plan to rebrand the Department of Defense as the “Department of War” could come with a staggering price tag—potentially reaching $2 billion—according to six individuals familiar with early cost projections, NBC News reports.

The renaming effort, which still requires congressional approval, would demand a sweeping overhaul across all branches of the U.S. military. Thousands of signs, ID badges, letterheads, plaques, and digital assets featuring the Department of Defense name would need to be redone worldwide, said multiple senior congressional aides from both parties briefed on the estimates.

Of that sum, about half could go toward replacing printed materials and physical signage alone, insiders said. One major financial burden stems from rewriting computer code across the Pentagon’s internal and external systems, both classified and public-facing. Software updates would be necessary to align digital infrastructure with the new name, the aides noted.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that an official cost figure has not yet been finalized. “The Department of War is aggressively implementing the name change directed by President Trump, and is making the name permanent,” he wrote in an email. “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 Department’s core mission: winning wars. This has always been our mission, and while we hope for peace, we will prepare for war.”

The White House deferred all cost-related questions to the Pentagon. Nonetheless, the potential multibillion-dollar expense stands in contrast to Trump’s ongoing pledge to rein in federal spending. His administration has already slashed budgets across numerous agencies, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has vowed to cut Pentagon personnel to prioritize what he calls “lethality” and a “warrior ethos.”

Speaking at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, Trump declared, “Under the Trump administration, we are restoring the pride and the winning spirit of the United States military. That’s why we have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to the original name Department of War.”

At present, “Department of War” serves only as a secondary title under law. The official designation remains Department of Defense, and any formal renaming must pass through Congress. Still, Trump told the crowd that the new name more accurately communicates America’s readiness “to fight to win.”

Trump first revealed his intention to restore the old name in September, when he issued an executive order authorizing Secretary Hegseth to use the title “secretary of war” in all public and internal correspondence. That order gave the Pentagon a 30-day window to initiate the transition and another 60 days to submit the required documentation to the National Security Council for congressional review.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly declined to say whether those deadlines have been met. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the now aptly-named Department of War is refocused on readiness and lethality — and its title now reflects its status as the most powerful fighting force in the world,” she said. “The White House is working hand-in-glove with the Department of War on implementation of the Executive Order.”

After the order was signed, the Pentagon quickly updated its online presence—changing web domains and social media handles to reflect the new name. Secretary Hegseth even replaced the sign outside his office with one reading “The Office of the Secretary of War.” But not all identifiers have been switched. The building’s main brass plaque still welcomes visitors to “The Department of Defense.”

The executive order also mandated that all federal agencies acknowledge and use the new title in correspondence, while noting that Congress must ultimately codify the change.

Republican Senators Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah introduced legislation in September to formally enact the new name, along with a similar House bill from Rep. Greg Steube of Florida. “Restoring the name to Department of War reflects our true purpose: to dominate wars, not merely respond after being provoked,” Scott said. Lee added, “It should always be clear to anyone who would harm our people: Americans don’t just play defense.”

Despite those proposals, the administration has yet to make a serious push to move the legislation forward. Several GOP lawmakers have privately voiced frustration, viewing the initiative as unnecessary political theater. Senator Rand Paul has gone further, publicly opposing the change as “glorifying war” and pledging to block any related funding.

Democrats have been openly dismissive. Senator Tim Kaine criticized the proposal as “cosplay,” adding, “The department is designated by congressional statute as the Department of Defense, not the Department of War. Congress has not authorized the name change … and as far as I’m concerned, there’s no effort for Congress to make the name change.”

Ten Senate Democrats formally asked the Congressional Budget Office in September to evaluate the costs of rebranding, citing expenses for signage, ceremonial items, website redesign, and digital infrastructure updates. In their letter, they called the proposal “wasteful and hypocritical,” accusing the administration of prioritizing “political theater over responsible governance.”

The Pentagon’s name has evolved several times since its founding as the Department of War in 1789. President Harry Truman changed it to the National Military Establishment in 1947 under the National Security Act, which unified the armed services under a single civilian defense secretary. Two years later, Congress renamed it the Department of Defense—a title that has remained in place ever since.

{Matzav.com}

The White House on Wednesday forcefully denied an Israeli media report claiming the United States was planning to establish a major military base in Israel near the Gaza border to support international forces enforcing the ceasefire there. “This article was based on a single piece of paper — an inquiry that somebody in the Department […]

The number of people diagnosed with tuberculosis worldwide rose again last year, eclipsing 2023’s record total, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday. About 8.3 million people across the globe were reported as newly diagnosed with TB in 2024. Not all infections are diagnosed and the new numbers represent 78% of the estimated number of people […]

TONIGHT: A strong geomagnetic storm could light up the northern U.S. skies with a rare and stunning display of the Northern Lights.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been unable to confirm the whereabouts or condition of Iran’s near weapons-grade uranium since Israel’s airstrikes on the country’s nuclear facilities during June’s 12-day war, according to a confidential report obtained by The Associated Press.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog warned that the matter “needs urgently to be addressed,” noting that without updated data from Tehran, it cannot assure member states that Iran’s nuclear material remains in peaceful use.

In its last public assessment in September, the IAEA reported that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — just a short technical step from the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material. Director General Rafael Grossi cautioned in an interview that such a stockpile could be enough for roughly 10 nuclear weapons, though he emphasized that there is no indication Iran has built one.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is strictly civilian, while Western intelligence agencies and the IAEA assert that Tehran operated an organized nuclear weapons effort until 2003.

Under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, Iran must issue a “special report” following significant incidents such as military attacks or natural disasters, detailing the condition and location of all nuclear material and facilities. The agency stressed that this report is “indispensable” for verifying that none of Iran’s safeguarded sites or materials have been diverted to non-peaceful purposes.

Tehran halted cooperation with the IAEA after the June conflict, which also saw U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Although Grossi reached a temporary inspection deal in early September with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during talks in Cairo, the agreement collapsed later that month when the U.N. reinstated sweeping sanctions on Iran.

The sanctions were reimposed by European powers through the U.N. “snapback” mechanism after Tehran refused to engage in direct talks with Washington, failed to restore full IAEA cooperation, and did not clarify the fate of its highly enriched uranium.

Iran remains legally bound by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to permit IAEA oversight of its nuclear activities.

{Matzav.com}

REPORTER: “Should U.S. citizens expect a $2,000 proposal, is the White House committed to making that happen?” PRESS SEC: “The White House is committed to making that happen, yes…I don’t have a timeline for you.”

WATCH: Horrifying moment windsurfer attacked, pulled underwater by a shark off Australia

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Tuesday that his government is engaged in direct negotiations with Israel — the first such acknowledgment since he seized power last year. “We are engaged in direct negotiations with Israel, and we have gone a good distance on the way to reach an agreement,” Sharaa told The Washington Post in […]

War Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Wednesday that the Trump administration will continue using military force to target drug-running vessels in South American waters, insisting that Washington has full legal authority to act. “We got lawyers on lawyers, all the authorities necessary to do so, treating these terrorists like the al-Qaida of the Western Hemisphere,” Hegseth declared during remarks at a defense industry conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The statement came as America’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier entered the Southern Command’s area of operations — a region that has already seen deadly U.S. airstrikes sink numerous suspected smuggling boats. Military officials estimate that at least 75 people aboard those vessels have been killed in recent strikes.

The heightened naval presence has intensified talk that President Trump may be weighing more aggressive action in the hemisphere, possibly targeting Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, who remains wanted in the United States on narcoterrorism charges.

Efforts by Senate Democrats to restrict Trump’s ability to launch a military operation against Venezuela were struck down by Republicans, leaving the White House with broad latitude to continue its campaign in the region.

{Matzav.com}

A diamond brooch that French emperor Napoleon lost while fleeing from the Battle of Waterloo in the early 19th century sold for more than 3.5 million Swiss francs (about $4.4 million) at a Geneva auction on Wednesday, Sotheby’s said. The brooch, which can also be worn as a pendant, features an oval diamond weighing over […]

Russia announced its willingness to return to peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, according to a statement reported Wednesday by the state-run TASS news agency. The Kremlin says the initiative for restarting dialogue lies entirely with Kyiv, as the war grinds toward the end of its fourth year.

The last direct encounter between the two sides took place on July 23 in the Turkish city, marking the first attempt in months to revive diplomatic communication. That session, which lasted only 40 minutes, ended without progress.

During that brief meeting, Ukrainian officials suggested arranging a summit in August between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in hopes of breaking the deadlock. The Kremlin later declared that Putin was open to such a meeting — but insisted it take place in Moscow, a demand Ukraine flatly rejected.

TASS quoted Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexei Polishchuk as saying that Turkey has consistently encouraged both parties to return to the table. “The Russian team is ready for this, the ball is in the Ukrainian court,” he said, framing Moscow as prepared to engage whenever Kyiv agrees.

Ukrainian officials, however, have dismissed Moscow’s narrative, maintaining that Russia’s ongoing aggression and refusal to withdraw troops are the real reasons talks remain frozen. They argue that the Kremlin’s statements are merely an attempt to shift blame for the stalled peace efforts.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump ignited fresh controversy Tuesday night after claiming the United States “doesn’t have talented people” in certain fields, arguing that the country must rely on foreign labor to fill critical industrial and technical jobs. In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Trump defended the use of H-1B visas and other guest […]

President Donald Trump’s initiative to phase out the penny — once dismissed as a symbolic gesture — has rapidly reshaped the nation’s cash economy, leaving retailers, banks, and consumers grappling with the sudden absence of the one-cent coin.

The administration began winding down penny production earlier this year, framing it as a move toward fiscal efficiency. In February, Trump had declared his intention to “rip the waste out of our great [nation’s] budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.” That message set off a chain of actions at the Treasury Department and U.S. Mint, culminating in the official end of penny circulation this week.

On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will travel to the Philadelphia Mint to strike the final batch of one-cent coins for general use, bringing closure to a chapter in U.S. monetary history that began with the Coinage Act of 1792.

Although collectors will still be able to obtain special-edition pennies in small quantities, the Mint’s massive penny-making machinery — responsible for more than 3.2 billion coins in the last fiscal year — is now being retired. Yet, the process has underscored how deeply the penny remains ingrained in daily commerce. Transitioning away from a coin that’s been part of American life for over two centuries has proved anything but simple.

Retailers, grocers, and gas stations have been scrambling for months to adapt. By early September, reports of shortages were already mounting, and since Labor Day, the scarcity has intensified across the country. The Federal Reserve, which manages coin distribution, has temporarily halted penny orders at more than half of its regional distribution centers, with more expected to follow.

“People didn’t realize how quickly this was going to spread,” said Austen Jensen, senior executive vice president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, which represents some of the nation’s largest retail chains.

Treasury officials are now weighing the release of guidance to help businesses adjust — including how to round cash prices and manage transactions without the one-cent coin. Still, many trade associations argue that a consistent, national policy is essential.

Groups representing retailers, restaurants, and banks are urging Congress to pass a federal law standardizing how cash transactions are rounded to the nearest nickel. Without such legislation, they warn, companies could face lawsuits under state consumer protection laws from customers claiming to have been shortchanged.

Efforts to pass that measure have been delayed by the ongoing government shutdown. Although a bipartisan bill establishing a national rounding rule cleared the House Financial Services Committee in July, it has not advanced to the full House, which was out of session for much of the fall.

Banks, too, are caught in the uncertainty. Steve Kenneally, senior vice president of payments at the American Bankers Association, said many financial institutions have been rounding check-cashing transactions in customers’ favor but need official guidance to avoid regulatory pitfalls. “We want to make sure banks don’t suffer any inadvertent regulatory mishaps, because we’re trying to do the right thing and round in favor of the customer,” he said. “We would like to have something, whether it’s from a regulator or legislation, that gives us guidance and that makes it a consistent customer experience everywhere. Having different businesses have different policies just doesn’t feel right.”

The American Bankers Association has also criticized the Federal Reserve’s decision to stop accepting penny deposits at many coin terminals, a policy that prevents banks with surplus coins from redistributing them efficiently. “This policy is accelerating the slowdown of penny circulation drastically,” the group warned in a recent letter to Treasury and the Fed.

A Federal Reserve spokesperson responded that “coin distribution locations accepting penny deposits and fulfilling orders will vary over time as localized inventory is depleted at certain coin distribution locations.”

According to Treasury estimates, ending the penny will save the government roughly $56 million each year. The U.S. Mint reports that manufacturing a single penny now costs 3.69 cents — more than triple its face value — due to rising metal and production costs. Officials concluded that “ongoing increases in production costs and the evolution in consumer habits and technology” have made the penny “financially untenable.”

Bessent’s move followed a formal finding that the one-cent coin was “no longer necessary to meet the needs of the United States,” a first in Treasury history.

While an estimated 300 billion pennies remain in circulation, the Treasury Department has clarified that all existing coins “remain legal tender and will retain [their] value indefinitely.” The penny, though no longer being minted, will continue to exist as a reminder of a bygone era in American currency — one that, for now, is ending a cent at a time.

{Matzav.com}

All 20 personnel on board a Turkish military cargo plane that crashed in Georgia were killed, Turkey’s defense minister announced on Wednesday. The C-130 plane was flying from Ganja, Azerbaijan to Turkey when it crashed in Georgia’s Sighnaghi municipality, close to the Azerbaijani border, on Tuesday. The cause of the crash is being investigated. The […]

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed Wednesday that the Biden administration is preparing major steps to ease costs on consumer staples such as coffee, bananas, and other imported goods not produced domestically.

Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends,” Bessent said Americans should expect “substantial announcements” in the coming days designed to bring prices down rapidly. “Very quickly,” he emphasized, predicting that by the first half of 2026, “Americans would start feeling better about the economy.”

Bessent also addressed a key part of President Donald Trump’s proposed economic relief initiative — a $2,000 rebate check for households earning under $100,000 annually. He noted that the payments would be funded through tariff revenues but clarified that “no decisions had been made” yet regarding final implementation.

{Matzav.com}

A Jewish baby was nearly kidnapped Wednesday afternoon on a Miami beach in a harrowing scene that has left witnesses shocked and shaken. The incident unfolded at Collins Avenue and 36th Street, where a group of Jewish women from New York were relaxing together when the unknown woman suddenly approached and grabbed a baby from […]

Several months ago, right-wing activist Moshe Miron submitted a request to the Ministry of National Security to obtain a personal firearm license. His request was denied due to an opinion from the Shin Bet. Miron appealed to the Jerusalem District Court in a petition through Adv. Adi Keidar from the Honenu organization against the decision. […]

Flight cancellations ease, hitting lowest rate in almost a week, with end to the shutdown in sight • Flight cancellations eased to the lowest rate in almost a week on Wednesday ahead of a House vote on a bill that could end the longest-ever government shutdown. • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and major airlines warned […]

Chicago has seen a sharp and unprecedented drop in violent crime since the Department of Homeland Security initiated “Operation Midway Blitz,” a Trump-directed effort to dismantle networks of violent illegal aliens shielded by Illinois’ sanctuary laws.

Fresh DHS data shows that shootings have plunged by 35%, reaching their lowest level in four years. Robberies are down 41%, and carjackings have fallen a striking 48% since the campaign began in September. Homicides have decreased by 16%, while transit-related offenses have dropped 20% — a turnaround the agency called “a historic win in the fight against violent criminal illegal alien crime.”

“I am proud to announce that Chicago, Illinois, despite all of the radical opposition and obstruction we have from the Mayor and Governor, has seen Car Theft, Shootings, Robberies, Violent Crime, and everything else drop dramatically,” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, listing the improved statistics.

He continued, “And this is with just a small initial Federal Force, not the full ‘surge’ we have done in … Memphis. As we ramp up more assets, these numbers will continue to drop.”

Trump credited the success to federal resolve in the face of what he described as open hostility from local leadership. “This has been achieved despite the extraordinary resistance from Chicago and Illinois Radical Democrat ‘Leadership,’ and the constant Violent Leftwing Terrorism against ICE Officers and Federal Agents that Insurrectionist Democrat Officials refuse to stop or prosecute, including constant physical assault and attempted assassination,” he wrote.

The operation was named in memory of Katie Abraham, an Illinois resident who lost her life in a hit-and-run accident caused by an illegal alien. The initiative’s central goal was to apprehend violent offenders who had been shielded from deportation under policies supported by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“For decades, sanctuary policies exasperated the crime crisis in Chicago,” explained DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “Now, thanks to our brave DHS law enforcement, Chicago is experiencing a historic drop in violent crime. It’s common sense — when you remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our country, crime rates plummet.”

Reports surfaced this week that Gregory Bovino, the senior U.S. Border Patrol official overseeing Operation Midway Blitz, might soon be reassigned. According to Reuters, Bovino could be transferred first to Charlotte, North Carolina, and later to New Orleans, where similar federal crackdowns are reportedly in development.

When asked by Newsmax whether Bovino’s departure from Chicago was imminent, DHS declined to comment. McLaughlin, however, dismissed talk that the initiative was ending.

She wrote on X: “We aren’t leaving Chicago.”

{Matzav.com}

Sweet talk won’t get you far if you want to scare off a seagull trying to snatch your food. Try shouting. Researchers set out to find if a man’s voice was enough to deter bandit gulls from their penchant for purloining food in seaside towns and found it was effective if delivered with more urgency. […]