The expenditures made by the Pentagon (the headquarters building of the U.S. Department of Defense in the state of Virginia) in the last month of the fiscal year during the tenure of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have sparked discussions.
According to Medianews.az, the "Open the Books" organization, which investigates government spending, has prepared a report on this matter.
According to the report, the Department of Defense spent a total of 93.4 billion dollars in grants and contracts in September 2025. This figure is noted as one of the highest expenditures recorded in one month among federal agencies.
One of the notable points in the report is the funds allocated for expensive food products. It is stated that the Pentagon purchased 2 million dollars worth of Alaskan king crab, 6.9 million dollars worth of lobster tails, and 15.1 million dollars worth of ribeye steak in September alone. Overall, food expenses are reported to exceed 20 million dollars.
According to the investigation, 50.1 billion dollars of the expenses in September were carried out in the last five working days of the fiscal year. This amount does not include personnel salaries but rather mostly grants given to external organizations and contracts concluded.
The report also notes that some other purchases have caused criticism. It is reported that approximately 100,000 dollars were spent on a piano for the residence of the Air Force Chief of Staff, and 5.3 million dollars were spent on purchasing Apple devices. Additionally, the total budget allocated for furniture amounted to 225.6 million dollars, with high-end chairs also included among the purchases.
In its report, the "Open the Books" organization calls on the U.S. Congress to make changes to the budget system. The Pentagon has not yet issued an official statement regarding the matter.
Medianews.az