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‘Unfortunately, the Pentagon’s traditional year-end spending spree in 2025 was the worst ever on record at a staggering $93.4 billion.’
The Pentagon boasts one of the largest budgets of any department in the federal government. So, it wasn’t totally shocking to learn that the agency wastefully blew through billions in taxpayer dollars to close out its 2025 fiscal year.According to a new report by Open the Books, the Department of War (DOW) collectively spent $93.4 billion in “use-it-or-lose it” funds on grants and contracts in September alone. The agency’s spending blitz included purchases of high-dollar food, new furniture, and other lavish items.
These “use-it-or-lose-it” funds are part of the Pentagon’s annual budget that are unspent heading into the final month (September) of the fiscal year. As described by Open the Books, agency officials look to spend this surplus before the fiscal year ends or risk forfeiting the unused dollars and a potential reduction in funding the following year. (Think of that episode of The Office where Michael Scott has to spend the surplus before the end of the day or risk losing it in next year’s budget.)
According to Open the Books, the DOW spent $93.4 billion on grants and contracts in September 2025, the highest single-month spending bonanza on such items for a federal agency “[s]ince at least 2008 — and presumably in history.” At least $50.1 billion of this total was spent within the last five working days of September, which the group noted is “more than the annual defense budget of countries like Israel and Italy.”
“These amounts only include money sent to entities outside the government, not salaries for service members and scores of other expenses,” the report reads.
The Open the Books analysis goes on to document numerous wasteful spending items included in the Pentagon’s September shopping spree. One of the most notable is high-dollar food.
According to the report, the agency spent $2 million on Alaskan king crab and $6.9 million on lobster tails. Other pricey food items included ribeye steak ($15.1 million), salmon ($1 million), and ice cream machines ($124,000).Lavish furnishings were also among the list of goods purchased by the DOW in the last month of the 2025 fiscal year. According to Open the Books, “Since 2008, the DoD has spent an average of $257.6 million on furniture every September — a 564% increase above the norm. In months besides September, furniture costs the military only $38.8 million on average.” --->READ MORE HERE
The findings have ignited a firestorm of criticism over "wasteful" luxury purchases just as the U.S. enters a costly conflict with Iran.
What is Lobstergate?
What we know:
According to the report by government watchdog Open The Books, in the final month of the 2025 fiscal year, the Department of Defense (DOD) moved to exhaust its remaining budget to avoid future funding cuts—a practice known as "use-it-or-lose-it."
Beyond the $6.9 million for lobster, the Pentagon spent:
- $15.1 million on ribeye steaks
- $2 million on Alaskan king crab
- Nearly $140,000 on doughnuts
- Over $124,000 on ice cream machines
High-end non-food items were also on the list, including:
- $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano for an Air Force residence
- $225 million in furniture, featuring individual chairs costing nearly $1,900
- $12,540 for fruit basket stands
- $5.3 million on Apple devices
Open the Books called the spending "completely unacceptable," noting that the $93 billion total was the highest month-of-September spend since at least 2008. --->READ MORE HERE
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