Amidst the ongoing war against Iran, a report has come out regarding the expenditure of the US Defense Department i.e. Pentagon, which has created a big controversy. It seems as if under the leadership of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, lavish banquets were being held in the Pentagon in the name of brainstorming regarding the attack on Venezuela and Iran. According to media reports, the Pentagon spent about $93.4 billion in the last month of fiscal year 2025. Apart from military needs, this expenditure also included food items, expensive furniture, electronic equipment and musical instruments.
2.5 lakh dollars spent on food and drinks
According to the report of American newspaper The Independent, an investigation by government monitoring organization Open the Book revealed that in September 2025 alone, the Pentagon spent $6.9 million on lobster tail, $20 million on Alaskan king crab, $15.1 million on ribeye steak and about $1 million on salmon fish. Apart from this, $1.39 lakh was also spent on donuts and about $1.24 lakh was spent on ice cream machines.
Bought furniture worth Rs 22.5 crore
During this period a huge amount was also spent on furniture. According to the report, in September 2025, the Pentagon purchased furniture worth about $225 million, which included expensive chairs and a fruit basket stand worth about $12,540.
What is the reason for so much expenditure?
Experts say that a major reason for such expenditure is the ‘use it or lose it’ rule of the American budget system. Under this, government departments have to spend their allotted budget by 30 September every year. If money is saved, Congress can reduce the budget of that department next year. For this reason, many departments spend rapidly in the last months of the financial year.
After these revelations, the political debate on Pentagon spending has intensified. Critics say this use of taxpayer money raises serious questions, while the Defense Department argues that many of the expenses are related to administrative and logistics needs. At present, the demand for detailed investigation and accountability on this matter is increasing.