Politics'Grifter' Pete Hegseth Ripped Apart for 'Living Luxuriously Off Taxpayers' as Report Claims He Blew Billions on Fancy Food and Musical Instruments
Pentagon budget reports revealed Pete Hegseth spent $93 billion in September 2025, the highest monthly expense since 2008.
March 11 2026, Published 1:19 p.m. ET
Pete Hegseth has come under fire again — this time for spending a staggering $93 billion in taxpayer money last fall on expensive meals, Apple products, musical instruments and more.
A report on Monday, March 9, revealed the U.S. Secretary of War's insane spending spree came as the Pentagon scrambled to utilize the remainder of its yearly budget or "forfeit its unused money" by the September 30 deadline, per funding rules.
An eye-watering amount of that money went toward food, with $2 million spent on Alaskan King crab, $15.1 million on ribeye steaks, $6.9 million in lobster tail, $1 million in salmon and $26,000 for a sushi spread.
The Pentagon spent an insane amount on food for troops.
According to Military.com, the extravagant "surf and turf" meal "has become embedded in military culture as a symbolic precursor to deployments, combat operations, or extended missions."
The agency also doled $124,000 for ice cream machines and a whopping $139,224 on donuts.
Food aside, $5.3 million was spent at the Apple Store, with $315,200 dropped on 400 brand new iPads.
Additionally, $98,329 went toward a Steinway grand piano for the chief of staff of the Air Force's residence and $21,750 on a custom Muramatsu flute from Japan.
The budget report included $2 million spent on Alaskan King crab.
Meanwhile, $225.6 million was used on furniture for various Defense Department facilities, with a huge chunk of that cash going to high-end chairs from Herman Miller.
Moreover, the Pentagon picked up $3,160 worth of stickers depicting children's television shows, including Paw Patrol and Dora the Explorer.
Notably, the total in spending saw an 18 percent increase from 2024, and a lot of money went to foreign companies despite President Donald Trump urging people to buy American products.
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Pete Hegseth Branded a 'True Grifter'
Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer laid into Pete Hegseth over the spending.
Hegseth, 45, is now being dragged online, with Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer calling him "a true grifter in every sense of the word."
"Hegseth spent $93 billion in one month — roughly the cost of extending the ACA tax credits for THREE YEARS," Schumer, 75, raged in a social media post on Tuesday, March 10. "But instead of lowering American’s healthcare costs, Hegseth used millions of taxpayer dollars on fruit baskets, Herman Miller recliners, ice cream machines, Alaskan King Crabs, and a Steinway & Sons grand piano."
'It Is So Egregious'
Many online are criticizing the Pentagon chief.
One person described the lavish spending as "shameful" while another claimed the "midterms are going to be brutal for Republicans."
"Trump, Hegseth, [Kristi] Noem, [Kash] Patel and [Pam] Bondi have been living luxuriously off the taxpayers," a third user wrote. "They've wasted over a billion dollars in living expenses regarding luxury properties, vehicles, private planes, clothing and dining. It is so egregious."
