Key facts
- The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to increase Ukraine aid to $750 million for the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
- The committee also proposed renaming the Department of Defense to the 'Department of War'.
- The bill prohibits using funds to recognize Russian sovereignty over Ukrainian territory.
- The legislation mandates intelligence support for Ukraine's military operations.
- The overall 2027 NDAA allocates $1.15 trillion for defense.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimated the name change could cost up to $125 million.
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee has advanced its version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, including a provision to rename the Department of Defense to the 'Department of War,' a change favored by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The committee also voted to increase authorized funding for Ukraine's security assistance to $750 million.
Republicans on the panel pushed forward the name change during closed-door deliberations. Sen. Tim Kaine criticized the provision, calling it a 'juvenile move' that reflects the President's preference for starting wars over diplomacy. The committee voted 18-9 to advance the legislation.
The House Armed Services Committee previously approved a similar amendment to change the Defense Department's name, championed by Rep. Ronny Jackson. However, ranking member Rep. Adam Smith described the provision as 'one of the dumbest things that has been done by this administration.'
The agency was originally established as the Department of War in 1789 by George Washington and was renamed the Department of Defense in 1947 under the Truman administration. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that codifying the name change into law could cost up to $125 million.
U.S. support for Ukraine has fallen sharply since the start of Trump's second term, with American military aid to Kyiv declining by 99% during his first year back in office. Since his inauguration in January 2025, Trump has not allocated any new defense aid packages under the Presidential Drawdown Authority. Instead, the Trump administration has opted to sell weapons to Ukraine via NATO partners, using the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List.