Hegseth’s Pentagon Reportedly Spent Millions on Lobster Tail, Ribeye and Donuts in September

The Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing fresh scrutiny after a government watchdog analysis found that the Defense Department spent millions of dollars on high-end food purchases in September 2025.

The figures were published by nonprofit watchdog organization Open the Books, and then highlighted in follow-up reports on Tuesday. According to the nonprofit, the food spending came during a record-setting September for Pentagon contracting and grant activity. The watchdog said the Defense Department spent $93.4 billion in grants and contracts during the final month of fiscal year 2025, the highest monthly total it has tracked since at least 2008.

In the last five working days of the month alone, the department reportedly spent $50.1 billion, a surge the group tied to the federal government’s longstanding “use-it-or-lose-it” budgeting dynamic, which can encourage agencies to exhaust available funds before the fiscal year closes.