Kamal Ghorui
The United States Department of Defence (DoD) spent $93.4 billion in September 2025, the final month of the fiscal year. The government watchdog described it as a “use‑it‑or‑lose‑it” spending spree, according to TMZ. The amount is the highest single‑month defence spending total since at least 2008 and includes a range of purchases, some of which were not directly linked to military operations.The watchdog group ‘Open the Books’ analysed federal spending records and found that the department’s rush to exhaust their congressionally allocated budget involved large food purchases, furniture and technology items. In just one month, the Pentagon spent:
- Lobster tails: $6.9 million
- Alaskan king crab: $2 million
- Ribeye steak: $15.1 million
- Salmon: $1 million
- Ice cream machines: $124,000
- Doughnuts (272 orders): $139,224
The spending on luxury items extended beyond food. The Pentagon spent $225.6 million on furniture in September, the highest total in more than a decade. This included premium office chairs and other furnishings as the department sought to use up its remaining budget.Technology and equipment purchases were also significant. The department allocated $5.3 million for Apple devices and $4 million for Samsung devices during the month. Musical instruments were among the line items, with $1.8 million spent, including a $98,329 Steinway & Sons 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 full budget by the end of the fiscal year or risk having reduced funding the next year. In the final five working days of September 2025, the department spent over $50.1 billion on grants and contracts alone, a figure that surpasses the annual defence budgets of several countries.The high level of spending raised questions about large amounts of taxpayer dollars being used on non‑essential items.
