Lobster, Ribeye, and $60,000 recliners: Inside the Pentagon’s $93 billion spending spree before attacks on Iran and Venezuela
A government watchdog report reveals the Pentagon spent over $93 billion in September 2025, including millions on lobster, steak, furniture and technology.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks while President Donald Trump, left, listens at the Shield of the Americas Summit at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo)
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth led-Pentagon reportedly approved over $93 billion in spending on huge expenses, including luxury food, music instruments and technology months before launching attacks on Iran and Venezuela.
According to an analysis carried out by Open the Books, an American government watchdog, Hegseth-led Pentagon spent approximately $9 million on crab and lobsters in September during the end of 2025 financial year in the US, The Independent reported.
According to US government policy, departments need to spend their allotted yearly budget by September 30 or lose the funds. Open the Books data revealed that Hegseth’s Pentagon spent $93.4 billion in September 2025 on grants and contracts, which was the largest by any department or agency spent in a month’s timeline.
According to report, US Defence Secretary Hegseth spent $5.3 million on Apple devices, including new generation iPads. (AI Generated Image)
A review of the Defence department’s spending revealed that in September last year, it spent around $6.9 million on lobster tail and $2 million on Alaskan king crab. The department further spent $15.1 million on ribeye steaks, $1million in salmon and $26,000 for sushi preparation tables, Daily Mail reported.
The report added that the Pentagon spent heavily on deserts with $124,000 for ice cream machines and $139,224 on donuts. Apart from the food items, the Defence department spent close to $6 billion on information technology and telecommunications.
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According to the report, US Defence Secretary Hegseth spent $5.3 million on Apple devices, including new generation iPads.
The Pentagon also allegedly paid over $225 million for furniture, which includes $12,540 for fruit basket stands and $60,000 for Herman Miller recliners which is a high-end furniture maker. The department has reportedly spent more on furniture in 2025 than it has since 2014.
This comes ahead of the US military’s operation in Venezuela in January where they captured the country’s deposed leader Nicolas Maduro and a joint operation with Israel against Iran that was launched on February 28 under Operation Epic Fury.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks while President Donald Trump, left, listens at the Shield of the Americas Summit at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo) 
