US Defense Secretary and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth spent over $93 billions of taxpayer money, buying everything from king crab and ribeye steaks to iPads and even a grand piano.
Experts say this is part of a “use it or lose it” approach where agencies rush to spend leftover funds before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
Pentagon purchases in September 2025
- Food & Beverages- The Pentagon spent on lavish meals for troops and operations, including seafood, steaks, sushi, and desserts, totaling over $25 million (Alaskan king crab $2M, ribeye steaks $15.1M, lobster tails $6.9M, salmon $1M, sushi tables $26K, ice cream machines $124K, donuts $139K).
- Technology & Electronics- Billions went into IT, telecommunications, and gadgets for military use, including $5.9 billion for systems and $5.3 million on Apple Store purchases (including 400 iPads costing $315,200).
- Luxury & Musical Items- Expensive personal and ceremonial items were bought, including a $98,329 Steinway grand piano for the Air Force chief of staff’s residence and a $21,750 custom Muramatsu flute.
- Fun & Miscellaneous- Some unusual small items were purchased, such as $3,160 worth of stickers featuring children’s TV characters like Paw Patrol and Dora the Explorer.
- Furniture & Office Items- Pentagon facilities received hundreds of millions in furniture, including $225.6 million for general furniture, $60,719 on Herman Miller chairs, and $12,540 for fruit basket stands.
- Spending with Foreign Companies & Governments- Despite efforts to buy American, $6.6 billion was spent with foreign governments and companies.
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“Amazon Prime Day” for Government Agencies
Experts call the September spending rush the government’s version of “Amazon Prime Day.” Mike Weily of Govly explained that, “If a government agency doesn’t spend its allocated budget funds over the course of the fiscal year, they no longer have access to those funds in the next year. The loss of their surplus funds, combined with the threat of a decline in future funding, is a recipe for serious fear amongst government agencies. Hence why they hit the panic button in August and September to spend.”
More than half of September’s $93.4 billion was spent in the last five working days alone. Despite a focus on buying American goods under former President Trump, $6.6 billion went to foreign companies and governments. This spending represents an 18% increase from September 2024 when the Pentagon spent $79.1 billion.
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Political reactions and military operations
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Hegseth, calling him “a true grifter”:
“Hegseth spent $93 billion in one month – roughly the cost of extending the ACA tax credits for THREE YEARS. But instead of lowering American’s healthcare costs, Hegseth used millions of taxpayer dollars on fruit baskets, Herman Miller recliners, ice cream machines, Alaskan King Crabs, and a Steinway & Sons grand piano.”
The Pentagon’s spending has also been in the spotlight because of military operations in Iran. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the US has spent about $3.7 billion in the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury which is roughly $891.4 million per day. Most of this money, around $3.1 billion was spent on munitions that were not planned in the budget. Combat losses and damage to infrastructure cost about $359 million and operations and support added another $196.3 million, including $18.3 million that was already budgeted. Overall, CSIS estimates that the Pentagon used about $3.54 billion in unplanned funds during the first 100 hours of the operation.