California Governor Gavin Newsom has mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following revelations about the Pentagon’s eye-popping spending spree on luxury items. The Democratic governor’s office released an AI-generated photo, too.
Gavin Newsom makes fun of Pete Hegseth with AI photo
The Defense Department dropped more than $93 billion in September 2025, which is the final month of the fiscal year, on grants, contracts, and luxury goods (via Open the Books). This is the largest single-month spending total for any federal agency since at least 2008.
Gavin Newsom didn’t hold back. His press office posted an AI photo showing Pete Hegseth, 45, lounging amid the spoils, with the caption: “HEGSETH BLOWING $93 BILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN 1 MONTH !!” The photo features specific items the Pentagon reportedly purchased: $6.9 million on lobster tail, $15.1 million on ribeye steak, and $2 million on Alaskan king crab. Also visible is a $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano bought for the Air Force chief of staff’s home.
The watchdog report details a couple more expenditures. The Pentagon spent $124,000 on ice cream machines, over $12,000 on fruit baskets, and $5.3 million on Apple devices. Additional purchases include $1 million on salmon, nearly $140,000 on doughnuts, and $26,000 on sushi preparation tables. Musical instruments also made the list: a $26,000 violin and a $21,750 custom handmade Japanese flute. Even children’s merchandise was included, with over $3,160 spent on stickers featuring Dora the Explorer, Frozen, and Paw Patrol characters.
Reportedly, federal “use-it-or-lose-it” rules encourage agencies to exhaust their congressional budgets before the fiscal year ends, often leading to rushed spending. Now, Newsom’s press office tagged 23-year-old YouTuber Nick Shirley, asking him to investigate the Pentagon’s spending. Shirley gained MAGA fame for his video on alleged Minnesota child care fraud and recently claimed to have uncovered California voter fraud.
