Pete Hegseth's Shock Splurge: Defense Sec. Spends 'Billions' on Seafood, Recliners and Steak... All in One Month
Pete Hegseth is a fan of spending billions on food and more.
March 10 2026, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
Pete Hegseth had no problem blowing through billions of dollars on luxuries that will have zero positive impact on his fellow Americans, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The controversial Secretary of Defense and the Pentagon spent more money in September, the end of the 2025 fiscal year, than it had in any other year since 2008, and plenty of the cash went towards things Hegseth is all about, including seafood.
Budget Madness: $140,000 on Doughnuts and More
Hegseth's department spent billions on everything from food to furniture.
Hegeseth's Defense Department dropped down $93billion in one month alone, according to a recent analysis by the government watchdog Open the Books.
While there is pressure on federal agencies to spend all of their budgets by the end of the fiscal year or risk losing access to the money moving forward, Hegseth decided to buy up head-scratching items, including $2million for Alaskan king crab and nearly $7million worth of lobster tail
The department was focused on food, as it took a chunk of its budget to spend on ribeye steak... $15million to be exact. They also bought $124,000 worth of ice cream machines and another $140,000 on doughnuts.
The Pentagon also made sure to have somewhere comfortable to sit while stuffing their faces with all that seafood and dessert.
The Secretary of Defense's department also spent $100,000 on a grand piano for an official.
They spent $225million on furniture, including $60,000 on Herman Miller recliners, and another $12,000 on fruit basket stands. Hegseth and the department also spent nearly $100,000 on a Steinway & Sons grand piano for the Air Force chief of Staff Kenneth S. Wilsbach's home, as well as $5.3million on Apple devices.
The department also dropped $3.5billion for cable TV and another $4million for Samsung devices. During their spending spree in the month of September, millions of Americans would lose their SNAP benefits amid the longest government shutdown in the country's history.
However, Hegseth and his department decided to use the end of the month by spending $50.1billion on just grants and contracts.
A Makeup Studio for Pete Hegseth?
The former Fox News personality is said to have previously demanded his own makeup studio.
The 45-year-old appears to be all about spending money that is not his, as in 2025, it was reported Hegseth ordered modifications to a room next to the Pentagon press briefing room to feature his very own makeup studio.
According to CBS News, the project cost several thousand dollars. However, Hegseth was quick to shut down the claims and responded, "Totally fake story. No 'orders' and no 'makeup.'"
The former Fox News personality may still be yearning for that studio, as he was previously busted powdering his nose with his personal supply of makeup before a key war meeting with top Ukrainian officials, according to sources.
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Hegseth has remained in his position despite controversy.
Hegseth has remained in his position despite several public meltdowns, as two insiders previously claimed the former TV personality has lost it on staff, and is "obsessed" about all things related to his security.
"There's a manic quality about him," one source claimed. "Or let me rephrase, an even more manic quality, which is really saying something."
The tipsters also described Hegseth as visibly distracted, having stood up and paced during meetings.
"He's crawling out of his skin," they claimed.
