The government watchdog group Open the Books did a deep dive into Defense Department spending and found the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth’s (photo) leadership burned through $93 billion in September 2025 alone as part of an end-of-fiscal-year spending spree to maintain its funding levels.
The Pentagon spent millions as part of a frantic end-of-year spending spree to maintain its immense funding.https://t.co/YcjQmn23hJ
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 10, 2026
From The Daily Beast:
Included in this spending was $2 million on Alaskan king crab last September alone, as well as $6.9 million on lobster tail and $1 million on salmon. The Defense Department also spent nearly $140,000 on doughnuts, $124,000 on ice cream machines, $26,000 on sushi preparation tables, and a whopping $15.1 million on ribeye steak.
As Open the Books explained, the Pentagon tries to spend as much of its congressionally allocated budget as possible at the end of every fiscal year because of federal “use-it-or-lose-it” rules. If the department ends the year with leftover funds, it risks having its budget reduced the following year.
This reportedly included spending $1.8 million on musical instruments, such as a $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano for the Air Force chief of staff’s home, a $26,000 violin, and a $21,750 custom handmade Japanese flute.
The CEO of a company that helps businesses land government contracts told The Daily Beast the last day of the fiscal year is like “Amazon Prime Day” for the federal government as agencies rush to spend their remaining funds.
Read more here.
$2 million on AK king crab
$6.9 million on lobster tail $1 million on salmon $140,000 on doughnuts $124,000 on ice cream machines
$26,000 on sushi tables
$15.1 million on ribeye steak.Pentagon Pete Hegseth Blew a Fortune on Crabs in Multibillion-Dollar Spending Frenzy share.google/SKAWuSXWCbY3…
— Jacy Sonne ♿️ (@jacysonne.bsky.social) March 10, 2026 at 11:39 AM
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