Lobster tail, Alaskan king crab: Claims report says US Department of Defense spent $93.4 billion on luxury goods in one month

In September 2025, the last month of the fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) spent $93.4 billion. Government regulators described it as a “use it or lose it” spending spree, TMZ reported. The amount is the highest single-month defense spending total since at least 2008 and includes a range of purchases, some of which are not directly related to military operations.The watchdog group Open the Books analyzed federal spending records and found that the department’s rush to use up the budget allocated by Congress involves a wide range of food, furniture and technology projects. In just one month, the Pentagon spent:

Spending on luxuries goes beyond food. The Pentagon spent $225.6 million on furniture in September, the highest total in more than a decade. This includes high-end office chairs and other furniture as the department attempts to use up the rest of its budget.Technology and equipment procurement are also important. The department allocated $5.3 million this month to Apple devices and $4 million to Samsung devices. Instruments were also included, costing $1.8 million, including a $98,329 Steinway grand piano, a $26,000 violin and a $21,750 handmade Japanese flute.

What is “use it or lose it”?

Under “use it or lose it” guidelines, agencies must spend their entire budget by the end of the fiscal year or risk reduced funding next year. In the last five business days of September 2025, the Department of Defense spent more than $50.1 billion on grants and contracts alone, a figure that exceeds the annual defense budgets of several countries.The high levels of spending have raised questions about how much taxpayer money is being spent on non-essential items.