The Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing fresh scrutiny after a government watchdog analysis found that the Defense Department spent millions of dollars on high-end food purchases in September 2025.
The figures were published by nonprofit watchdog organization Open the Books, and then highlighted in follow-up reports on Tuesday. According to the nonprofit, the food spending came during a record-setting September for Pentagon contracting and grant activity. The watchdog said the Defense Department spent $93.4 billion in grants and contracts during the final month of fiscal year 2025, the highest monthly total it has tracked since at least 2008.
