DoD Sets Record $93 Billion September Spending in 2025

The U.S. Department of Defense obligated approximately 93 billion in contracts and grants during September 2025, the final month of the fiscal year, marking the highest monthly total since at least 2008, according to an analysis by the government watchdog group Open the Books. The spending surge, driven by federal "use-it-or-lose-it" budget rules that require agencies to expend their full annual allocations to avoid future reductions, included millions of dollars on food items, furniture, and equipment.

Under Secretary Pete Hegseth, the department's expenditures encompassed a range of purchases that drew scrutiny for their scale and nature. Seafood accounted for a significant portion, with about 2 million spent on Alaskan king crab, 6.9 million on lobster tails, and 1 million on salmon. Additionally, 15.1 million went toward ribeye steak, contributing to a nearly fivefold increase in steak and seafood spending compared to previous years, such as 4.6 million in 2018. Other food-related contracts included 139,224 for doughnuts and 124,000 for ice cream machines.

Furniture purchases totaled 225 million, the highest monthly figure in over a decade, and featured items like 12,000 for...