Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon apparently isn’t feeling the same affordability struggles as many average Americans, as he approved spending more than $93 billion in September, including on luxury food items and iPads.
A new analysis published by government watchdog Open the Books found that in September — the end of the 2025 fiscal year — Hegseth reportedly burned through cash, including spending $9 million on crab and lobster dinners.
According to Military.com, an increase in military officials eating pricey meals has traditionally been viewed as a sign that something may be brewing — such as President Donald Trump’s war in Iran — though it appears Hegseth has been dining well at the Pentagon since at least last spring.
The spending review found that in the month of September alone, the Defense Department spent $6.9 million in total on lobster tail and $2 million on Alaskan king crab, according to the government watchdog. In 2025, the department also spent more than $7.4 million on lobster tail across the months of March, May, June and October.
The decadent seafood wasn’t the only expensive sustenance purchased at the Pentagon. Hegseth also spent approximately $15.1 million on ribeye steak in September, $124,000 for new ice cream machines, and $139,224 on doughnut orders.
The Department of Defense under Secretary Pete Hegseth spent $93 billion in September 2025, of which approximately $9 million was spent on lobster tail and crab legs
The Department of Defense under Secretary Pete Hegseth spent $93 billion in September 2025, of which approximately $9 million was spent on lobster tail and crab legs (AFP via Getty Images)
Due to the way federal funding works, there is pressure on department heads to end their fiscal years without a surplus of funds. If they do, it raises questions in Congress as to whether or not the agency or department needs a reduction in its annual budget.
That said, some of the purchases are lavish. In September, Hegseth spent nearly $100,000 on a Steinway & Sons grand piano to outfit the home of the Air Force chief of staff. He also spent $5.3 million on Apple devices, including brand-new iPads, according to the report.
The Pentagon paid $225.6 million for furniture, including $12,540 for fruit basket stands and more than $60,000 for high-end furniture maker Herman Miller recliners.
The agency spent more money on furniture in 2025 than it has since 2014.
To be fair to Hegseth, the military has been spending enormous amounts of money on furniture for decades. According to the analysis, the Defense Department has spent an average of $257.6 million on furniture every September since 2008, marking a 564 percent on average increase above its typical furniture spending throughout the year. See more