Waste of the Day: Pentagon Posts Most Expensive Month Since 2008

Topline: The Department of Defense purchased lobster tails, footrests and more during a September 2024 spending spree that saw $79.1 billion spent on grants and contracts.

DoD posts most expensive month in more than ten years

It was the Pentagon’s most expensive month of outside purchases since September 2008, when George W. Bush was about to leave office.

Key facts: In the last five working days of September, the DOD spent $11.7 billion on grants and contracts. There are only 11 other countries that spend that much on defense in an entire year. 

Some of the huge bill went towards food orders fit for a king. The military spent $103.7 million on meat, fish and poultry, including $16.6 million on ribeye steak and 147 orders of lobster tail for $6.1 million. 

Orders of blueberries, ice cream and doughnuts also exceeded $100,000.

And of course, the military needs the latest technology. In September that included 130 iPhone 16 Pro Max devices, part of $5.1 million spent on Apple products. 

Another $211.7 million went toward new furniture, and $24.4 million was spent on books and newspapers. 

There were also orders for car footrests totaling $36,000.

Search all federal, state and local government salaries and vendor spending with the AI search bot, Benjamin, at OpenTheBooks.com. 

Background: September is the DOD’s most expensive month almost every year, and it is not a coincidence.

Every agency does it

Washington’s “use it or lose it” funding rules pressure federal agencies to funnel money out the door before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Officials believe Congress will give them less funding the next year if they don’t use their entire budget.

This September, the General Services Administration had its most expensive month since at least 2007, and spending spiked at the Veterans Affairs’ department and several other agencies.

Critical quote: “Maintaining our national security is the highest priority, but we must ensure that defense dollars are spent on just that, defense,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) wrote on X in response to OpenTheBooks’ findings. “We need a full audit of the Pentagon and to declare war on waste by ending the use-it-or-lose-it model that encourages defenseless spending.”

Maintaining our national security is the highest priority, but we must ensure that defense dollars are spent on just that, defense.

We need a full audit of the Pentagon and to declare war on waste by ending the use-it-or-lose-it model that encourages defenseless spending.— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) January 17, 2025

Summary: Potential threats to the United States will be deterred by advanced weaponry and combat expertise, not by lobster dinners.

The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com.

This article was originally published by RCI and made available via RealClearWire.