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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is facing criticism from some Democratic lawmakers after the Pentagon’s spending on steak and lobster was reported. Retired Marine and Fox News co-host Joey Jones has a message for the “woke” critics attacking the military’s food budget.
An analysis of Department of War spending from government watchdog Open The Books found that in September 2025, the agency spent $6.9 million on lobster and over $15 million on ribeye steaks.
Jones, who lost his legs while fighting for the United States, defended the spending, saying rare nights when service members are served surf and turf help lift morale during deployments.
“Are you serious? That is the only thing about home… That’s the only thing that makes you feel special for the entire time you’re there watching your buddies die, and you’re mad about that?” Jones said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
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“I guarantee you none of them said a word when Biden surrendered Afghanistan — killed 13 of us — or when the whole DoD spent tens of millions of dollars on going woke.”
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Jones recalled the moment he heard he and his unit were being served steak and lobster, the only time it happened during his service in the middle of a “really tough summer” in Afghanistan.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth looks on during a press conference at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, on March 5. (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
His friend told him they’d been out all day, “and he was like, ‘Man, I just hope I get a decent MRE.’ And then somebody comes down the corner like, ‘Hey guys, it’s steak and lobster night. It’s surf and turf,'” Jones said.
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“After that day, for weeks, we talked about steak and lobster night. It’s the only one I’ve ever gotten overseas,” he added.
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He noted that weeks later, one of his friends was severely hurt in an explosion and later died of other causes, and months after that, Jones himself was seriously injured.
Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris, have criticized the Pentagon over its spending levels. In a post on X, Newsom wrote: “HEGSETH BLOWING $93 BILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN 1 MONTH !!”