Bullets and lobster tails: Pentagon spends nearly $80 billion in one-month spree

The Washington Times Header

The Defense Department went on its biggest monthlong spending spree since the height of the war on terror, dumping nearly $80 billion in a rush to empty its accounts before the end of the fiscal year.

In just the final five business days of September alone, the Pentagon spent $33.1 billion, according to Open the Books, a watchdog. That’s more in five days than nearly every other nation on earth spends in a year on their military.

The big-ticket spending items from September were to be expected: $3 billion on ammunition, and nearly $8 billion spent on aircraft.

But the Pentagon’s books also tallied 147 separate entries for raw lobster tail, at a cost of $6.1 million, and $16.6 million on ribeye steak.

Open the Books said the spending was part of the government’s perverse use-it-or-lost-it mentality, which dictates that if a program needs to spend every dollar it was budgeted — whether needed or not — or else Congress will trim its funding in the future. And since losing funding is akin to a bureaucratic plague, agencies find all sorts of creative ways to dump cash.

That means September, the end of the fiscal year, is traditionally the Pentagon’s biggest-spending month.

But last year saw some real doozies in spending, including $113,230 on ice cream and $117,787 on fresh doughnuts.

The report comes just ahead of the confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the next defense secretary.

Lockheed Martin Corp. was the biggest winner in September’s spending, collecting $10.8 billion of the $79.1 billion spent. That’s twice as much as the runner-up, Raytheon Company, and roughly five times Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, which was No. 3 on the list.

Open the Books said September’s spending spree included:

• A total of $103.7 million on meat, poultry and fish, including the lobster tails, ribeye and $6.4 million on salmon.

• $81.1 million on fruit and vegetables.

• $5.1 million on Apple products.

• $36,000 on footrests.

• $12,480 for “piano tuning.”

Open the Books said there was some good news, at least compared to past boondoggles.

In September 2023, the Navy paid a $7,136 parking ticket for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Read the Article on OpenTheBooks.com

The Washington Times
The Washington Timeshttps://www.washingtontimes.com/
The Washington Times is a trusted counterweight to mainstream media, delivering facts and commentary to inform and celebrate the American values of freedom, faith and family.

Columns

DOGE and Musk Recover Deleted Computer Files

Elon Musk and his “Geek Squad” discovered an entire terabyte of data was deleted from government servers from the office of the “Institute of Peace”.

A Simple Question

What is a woman? Anyone with an IQ above room temperature can answer the question. Everyone, that is, except Democrats.

Democrats Tesla Takedown is a Proven Astro Turf Movement

Elon Musk and other journalistic leaders like Joe Rogan have been asking the critical question, “Who is behind the organization of these Tesla protests?”

Can Ramaphosa and Trump Come to Terms?

Whether South Africa can quell the hostility emanating from Washington, without compromising on its national priorities, is a formidable test for a country

Maddened Europe

Viable prospects for peaceful settlement of conflict between Moscow and Kyiv exist, but Europe obsesses over threat of incursion onto European territory.

News

US Immigration Services Drops 3rd Gender Option

US immigration services agency officially updated policy to recognize only two biological sexes—male and female—for all immigration-related doc and benefit requests.

Transgender Covenant School Killer Planned Attack for Years, Final Police Report Says

Transgender shooter in mass killing at Christian school in Nashville, TN was an alumnus motivated by a quest for notoriety, final police report concludes.

Supreme Court Reviews South Carolina’s Medicaid Funding Block on Planned Parenthood

U.S. Supreme Court weighed whether South Carolina can stop abortion provider Planned Parenthood from taking part in state’s Medicaid program.

Africa at Crossroads After $13 Billion US Aid Cut, Say Analysts

African countries reacted with shock when the U.S. government recently cut $13 billion in financial assistance.

Trump Admin Ordered to Restore Legal Aid for Unaccompanied Minors

Judge in CA ordered Trump admin to restore funding for nonprofits providing legal services to unaccompanied illegal immigrant children who entered US.

Val Kilmer, Star of ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Batman,’ Dies at 65

Actor Val Kilmer, best known for his roles in movies “Top Gun,” “The Doors,” and “Batman Forever,” died on April 1 at age 65, his daughter confirmed.

Princeton Says Trump Administration Has Suspended Dozens of Research Grants

Trump admin has suspended several dozen federally funded research grants to Princeton University as part of its investigation into campus anti-Semitism.

How Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Are Set to Reshape Global Trade

President Donald Trump is set to announce reciprocal tariffs for all nations starting April 2, the date he has dubbed “Liberation Day.”
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central