Rampant Pentagon Spending Accelerates Under Hegseth

Rampant Pentagon spending under presidents of both parties has accelerated under current secretary Pete Hegseth, a report by Open the Books, a government watchdog site that tracks federal and state government spending, reported Monday.

Pentagon spending, like much federal government spending, is done on a “Spend it or Lose it” basis. The Pentagon and other government agencies typically rush to get money out the door in September before it has to be returned. State and Federal agencies also typically rush money out the door when presidential administrations are about to change.

In September 2025, the Pentagon awarded a record $93.4 billion in grants and contracts, including $50.1 billion spent just in the last five working days of September alone. By way of comparison, the Biden Administration spent almost $80 billion in September 2024.

Items purchased include things like luxury food items, high-end furniture, and IT purchases. Since 2008, the Pentagon has spent an average of $257.6 million on furniture every September, which is 564% above the norm. With that money, the Pentagon could have sent 2,000 switchblade drones, 3-4 HIMARS systems, 1,400 GMLRS rockets, 1,420+ Javelin anti-tank missiles, or 530+ Stinger anti-air missiles to Ukraine.

During Barack Obama’s administration, the Pentagon typically spent $300 to $400 million in furniture every September.

Under Secretary Hegseth, the Pentagon has spent the following on luxury items:

—$2 million on Alaskan king crab;

—$6.9 million of lobster tail;

—$15.1 million of ribeye steak;

—$1 million of salmon;

—272 orders of doughnuts for $139,224. That is around $511 per order of doughnuts. A donut at Casey’s typically costs around $1.60.

—$124,000 for ice cream machines;

—$26,000 for sushi preparation tables;

—$5.9 billion in IT and telecommunications, including $3.5 billion for technical support and cable TV.

This is the tip of the iceberg. Other purchases include a $98,329 piano for the Air Force Chief of Staff’s home, a $26,000 violin, and a $21,750 flute.

 

Trump Administration Unveils Farm Security Action Plan

On Tuesday, July 8th, the USDA unveiled the Trump Administration’s plan for stopping agroterrorism and implementing a national farm security action plan. The USDA says that last month, the US Department of Justice charged foreign nationals, including a Chinese Communist Party member, with attempting to smuggle a noxious fungus into the US, which could have caused billions of dollars in crop losses. While we could not find that particular case on the US Department of Justice’s website, they listed 39 cases just since January 20th, 2025 involving China or Chinese nationals. Most cases involved smuggling, espionage, evasion of US sanctions, money laundering, and other criminal activities.

The late Worth County Emergency Management Director Pat Kobbe constantly focused on agro-terrorism during her time. A few years ago, Chinese seed companies attempted to smuggle sample seeds into the US to various farmers in the hopes that they would plant them. One person that we know, who is from Northwest Missouri, got such a sample. The danger in planting such seeds is that they are invasive and could choke out native grasses and trees and damage gardens and crops.

The following is a news release from the USDA. Elsewhere, we print a news release from Senator Josh Hawley calling for banning of Chinese ownership of US farmland. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sheridan Express, the Board of Directors of the Sheridan Express Cooperative, or the membership:

USDA — Trump Administration Takes Bold Action to Elevate American Agriculture in National Security

Today (July 8th, 2025), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the next pillar of her Make Agriculture Great Again initiative: USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan. This historic plan elevates American agriculture as a key element of our nation’s national security, addressing urgent threats from foreign adversaries and strengthening the resilience of our nation’s food and agricultural systems.

"We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs, or our livelihoods," said Secretary Rollins. "This Action Plan puts America’s farmers, families, and future first—exactly where they belong. Under President Trump’s leadership, American agriculture will be strong, secure, and resilient. He will never stop fighting for our farmers and our ranchers.”

A Real Threat, a Real Response

Recent events highlight the critical need for this action. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice charged foreign nationals, including a Chinese Communist Party member, with smuggling a noxious fungus into the United States—a potential agroterrorism weapon responsible for billions in global crop losses. The scheme involved a U.S. research lab and highlighted a disturbing trend: America’s enemies are playing the long game—infiltrating our research, buying up our farmland, stealing our technology, and launching cyberattacks on our food systems. These actions expose strategic vulnerabilities in America’s food and agriculture supply chain.

Enough is enough.

Protecting the homeland begins with protecting our farmland and the National Farm Security Action Plan puts American farmers and ranchers first by safeguarding our food supply, strengthening critical infrastructure, and defending U.S. agricultural innovation from foreign adversaries.

 A Comprehensive Action Plan for Agriculture Security

The National Farm Security Action Plan takes aggressive action across seven critical areas.

—Secure and Protect American Farmland – Address U.S. foreign farmland ownership from adversaries head on. Total transparency. Tougher penalties.

—Enhance Agricultural Supply Chain Resilience – Refocus domestic investment into key manufacturing sectors and identify non-adversarial partners to work with when domestic production is not available. Plan for contingencies.

—Protect U.S. Nutrition Safety Net from Fraud and Foreign Exploitation – Billions have been stolen by foreign crime rings. That ends now.

—Defend Agricultural Research and Innovation – No more sweetheart deals or secret pacts with hostile nations. American ideas stay in America.

—Put America First in Every USDA Program – From farm loans to food safety, every program will reflect the America First agenda.

—Safeguard Plant and Animal Health – Crack down on bio-threats before they ever reach our soil.

—Protect Critical Infrastructure – Farms, food, and supply chains are national security assets—and will be treated as such.

A United Front Against Foreign Threats

This National Farm Security Action Plan will serve as the launch point for USDA to work in further unison with governors, state legislators, and federal partners to further integrate agriculture into the broader national security efforts over the coming months and years reaffirming the critical nature of agriculture and the need for a cross governmental approach. Defending access to American abundance and preserving the American experiment is the essence of agriculture security - and it is why farm security is national security.

“Foreign ownership of land near strategic bases and US military installations poses a serious threat to our national security. The Farm Security Plan will put America First and keep our bases across the homeland secure,” said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

“Farm security is national security. The Department of Justice will continue working to prosecute those who threaten American agriculture, investigate cases of potential agro-terrorism, and protect America’s farmers from illegal threats at home and abroad,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“Food policy is national security policy. A country who cannot feed itself, cannot take care of itself, and cannot provide for itself is not secure. We have to be able to feed ourselves to make sure that no other country ever controls us…We will never let any other country control our food supply or control our people because we will always be the great United States of America,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

"Arkansas led the nation in kicking Communist China off our farmland and out of our state because we understand that farm security is national security,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “I applaud President Trump and Secretary Rollins for putting America first with this bold USDA Action Plan to protect our food supply, our economy, and our freedom.”

“Tennesseans know that our farmland is our national security, our economic future, and our children's heritage. The National Farm Security Action Plan puts America First by defending our farmland from foreign adversaries and protecting our food supply, and I thank the Trump Administration for its bold leadership,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

“Farm Security = Food Security = National Security. Thanks to these actions taken by President Trump and his team, we can further protect the backbone of Nebraska’s economy from foreign adversaries like China. Homeland security starts at home, and we will continue to do our part in Nebraska,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen.

“Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are trying to get their foot in the door by buying up our farmland,” said Senator Tommy Tuberville. “In my state of Alabama, we have the fourth-highest amount of foreign-owned land in the U.S. with 2.2 million acres. Not only is this dangerous for our farmers, but it’s disastrous for our national security. Thankfully, the Trump administration is taking action to secure our farmland and keep us safe from bad foreign actors.”

“Farm security is national security, and it is imperative that we start recognizing this before it is too late,” said Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. “President Trump understands this, and I applaud the work his administration has done to partner with Kansas agriculture and the biodefense industry to ensure that plant and animal diseases do not compromise our food supply.”

“President Trump is using every tool at his disposal to keep our nation safe, and that includes securing our food supply. This historic USDA effort reflects his clear understanding that food security is national security, and under his leadership, America’s farmers and families are safer and stronger,” said House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson.

“Under Governor Sanders' leadership, Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick China off our farmland. Thank you President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and Secretary Hegseth for what you are doing to stop our adversaries from destroying our country and for protecting the way of life that provides the food, fiber, fuel, and shelter that we all depend on every single day,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.

“Agriculture is national security, period. A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot defend itself, and I’m excited to work together with Sec. Rollins and Sec. Hegseth to champion policies that will strengthen US farm security and protect our nation’s farmers, farmland, and food supply,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper.

“I am grateful for Secretary Brooke Rollins’ bold leadership in advancing USDA’s Ag Security Agenda, which prioritizes safeguarding American agriculture and farmland from those who seek to undermine our nation’s food and energy security. Iowa’s multi-generation family farms are the backbone of our state’s economy and way of life. For decades, Iowa has banned the foreign ownership of farmland, a law we strengthened in 2024, to preserve our agricultural integrity and security while balancing the need for foreign business investment in our state. I fully support Secretary Rollins’ and the Trump Administration’s efforts to bolster enforcement, increase reporting, and enhance transparency of land ownership laws at the national level to guarantee that our American farmland remains in the hands of Americans,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

“The USDA’s leadership in developing this comprehensive Plan shows a clear commitment to putting American farmers and ranchers first,” said Commissioner Shell. “Protecting our farmland and food systems from foreign influence and biosecurity threats is critical not only to our agricultural economy but to the national security of the United States. I’m proud to join colleagues from across the nation in supporting this important work,” said Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell.

“Agriculture is truly the backbone of our nation, and protecting the U.S. now and into the future means protecting our food supply. I applaud the foresight and leadership of Secretary Rollins and her colleagues to defend and strengthen American agriculture. I look forward to supporting these efforts on behalf of our Oklahoma farmers and ranchers and all Americans who count on the safe, reliable, and nutritious food we produce in the United States,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur.

 

 

Opinion -- Trump Administration Humiliating Discharged Trans Servicemembers

By Bree Fram

Yesterday, I attended the first of what promises to be a string of heartbreaking events: service members retiring next to their uniform, not in it. The uniform standing beside the person who sacrificed, sweated, and, in many cases, bled for what it represented. Yet, they are denied the opportunity for a final honor: to wear, one last time, the uniform that defined them, that meant everything to them.

At the end of this year, it will be my turn to stand beside the uniform that carried my heart for 23 years.

The first to face this indignity is Coast Guard Captain Trey Wirth. And if you know Trey, you know he is a man of deep dignity, quiet strength, and boundless grace. You would have seen that in his ceremony through his words of gratitude and reverence for a country whose government has now said he is unworthy of the uniform. You would have seen it in the love and respect offered by those who served with him and under him.

The tears that are common at these ceremonies weren’t just in Trey’s eyes. They were in everyone’s, as story after story revealed his dedication, achievements, and the deep relationships he built over 25 years of honorable service.

Why was Trey, as many others will be, being denied the chance to wear the uniform?

Because under the auspices of Executive Order 14183, which cast aspersions on our character, we are being discharged with codes that mark us as national security concerns. Because the government has unilaterally imposed standards upon us based on our sex assigned at birth and ordered leaders to enforce them.

That means if we wear the uniform we've worn for years, the one that reflects who we are, we could face disciplinary action, including court-martial, a less-than-honorable discharge, and the loss of benefits.

Trey, and so many other honorable transgender service members, played by the rules. They did the right thing, even when it meant gritting their teeth and persevering through pain. Now the rules have changed. And we’ve been recast as the problem.

A problem which is apparently so severe that we’re not even allowed the simple dignity of wearing our uniforms on the way out the door. 

Bree Fram is an Astronautical Engineer with the US Space Force.

 

Editorial -- Joe Biden Printing More Money for Ukraine

On Thursday, the US Department of Defense announced that the US would send $675 million worth of guns and bombs to Ukraine. In the meantime, the President is expected to ask for $11.7 billion more in military assistance. As usual, the President offers no way to pay for it. He expects us to make all the sacrifices for it so that he can continue his policy of sticking it to the Russians.

Meanwhile, fertilizer costs continue to spiral out of control. Our roads and bridges are crumbling. Our rural population continues to decline. Paradoxically, the more our rural population continues to decline, the more and more dependent we become on the likes of Russia and China. Which is exactly what Joe Biden wants. The more that Russia and China act belligerently towards Ukraine and Taiwan respectively, the more than Joe Biden can use it to feed the gravy train of the Military Industrial Complex that President Dwight Eisenhower tried to warn us about. In turn, the Russians and Chinese can use the threat of US aggression to keep their citizens in line.

Not only is Joe Biden’s policy of sticking it to the Russians failing to achieve peace, it is actually raising tensions with Russia and encouraging Russian aggression. For instance, the Polish Defense Minister, Marcin Ociepa, told the Polish newspaper DGP that there is now a serious risk of war with Russia, possibly within 3 to 10 years. Latvia is considering banning Russian language instruction in its schools, which shows that this is not just an effort to stop Putin’s aggression, but a war against the Russian people as well; we could cite many more examples. Since President Putin casts himself as the big brother protector of ethnic Russians around the globe, this is the sort of move that would encourage him to make more trouble in Eastern Europe. So much for Joe Biden’s claim that his efforts to stick it to the Russians are all about human rights.

When you find yourself to the right of people like Tayyip Erdogan, the dictator of Turkey, you need to think long and hard about what you believe and why. Speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, President Erdogan said, “I can clearly say that I do not find the attitude of the West towards Russia right. Because there is a West that follows a policy based on provocation. I don’t have to name names, but there are several Western countries whose approach, we think, are incorrect.” 

The following is the sort of quote you would expect to see from people like Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi, or any number of Democratic politicians. But no, again, this is from the President of Turkey: “There are no winners in a war like this, but I think there are a great number of losers. People are losing their lives, and there is also the financial cost.” It’s really interesting how Democrats who believed that George Bush was the Antichrist for leading us into war with Iraq are now silent when Joe Biden is doing the escalation. The problem is, too many Democrats are OK with wars when their side is doing it. It’s only when the other side is in charge when they suddenly start thinking about the loss of life and the financial cost.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who made the announcement that Joe Biden would be printing $675 billion more in weapons to Ukraine, pledged US help “over a long period of time.” How long? 10 years? That was the length of time we spent trying to prop up the government of South Vietnam. 20 years? That is how long we spent trying to prop up the government of Afghanistan. We have no idea when this will end, and the US is not even trying to find a way to end this conflict. So much for Joe Biden being more competent than the man he replaced.

President Joe Biden loves to talk about his “Rules Based International Order” and how Russia is now a pariah state. But Joe Biden’s escalation of the conflict is actually having the opposite effect. Far from splitting Russia and China, it is driving them into each other’s arms. Trade between the two is now expected to reach $200 billion. More and more Chinese companies are now openly declaring their intentions to do business in Russia. India, despite the US and its allies claiming veto power over its sovereignty, is stepping up purchases of Russian oil. Algeria is announcing new partnerships with Russia in startups, technology, and IT. Trade between those two countries doubled in 2021 and is up to $3 billion.

So we have another round of failed policies that is only making the world a less safe place. Joe Biden’s escalation in Ukraine is driving up prices, increasing the danger of nuclear war, creating more debt, alienating allies, and driving other countries into the arms of Russia. The US is no longer the world’s policeman. It is time to take care of our own people instead of trying to solve other countries’ problems.

McCaskill: $86 Million for Failed Aerial Counternarcotics Surveillance Effort in Afghanistan ‘an inexcusable waste of taxpayer money’

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is demanding answers from the Drug Enforcement Agency on a failed joint program to modify a large aircraft to conduct counternarcotics surveillance efforts in Afghanistan. At a cost to taxpayers of more than $86 million, the aircraft remains inoperable.  

“I am writing you regarding the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Global Discovery program, a counternarcotics effort in Afghanistan that DEA conducted in partnership with the Department of Defense,” wrote McCaskill in the letter to the Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The primary purpose of this program was the purchase and modification of a large aircraft to provide DEA aerial surveillance capabilities in the combat environment of Afghanistan. A recent U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (OIG) report identified that the Global Discovery program has cost taxpayers more than $86 million, yet the aircraft, in the OIG’s words, ‘remains inoperable, resting on jacks, and has never actually flown in Afghanistan.’ Given the DEA’s drawdown in Afghanistan, it is likely the aircraft, if it is ever completed, will never fly there.”

McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor and the top-ranking Democrat on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, raised a number of oversight concerns contained in a report from the top watchdog at the Department of Justice, including:

·         The Global Discovery program was initially intended to be completed in 2012, but instead has missed every subsequent delivery date. The aircraft now has a planned delivery date of June 2016, but given the program’s history it appears likely that this date will not be met, either. 

·         At the same time that the delivery date has continually been extended, the DEA has admitted that the aircraft will not be completed with all the required modifications to the aircraft.

·         The DEA failed to comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and its own solicitation in purchasing the aircraft. The DEA did not take into account the cost it would incur to establish an infrastructure of pilots, mechanics, trainers, and spare parts required to operate a new type of aircraft. The DEA also failed to evaluate each bid received on the factors it listed in its solicitation, potentially awarding a contract for an aircraft that did not meet DEA’s requirements.

·         The DOD awarded a $1.9 million contract for a hanger to store the DEA aircraft, but the aircraft was never housed there, and likely never will be.

·         The OIG audited a select number of expenditures made by the Global Discovery Program, and among those expenditures alone found more than $2 million in unallowable and unsupported costs.

·         DEA had no performance metrics to determine whether the Global Discovery program was an effective part of DEA’s counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan.  Reviewing the reports that DEA filed on the missions flown using available aircraft, OIG found that DEA’s data was not accurate.

·         DEA spent nearly $50,000 in travel to oversee the Global Discovery contract, even though contract oversight for this program clearly failed.

McCaskill, who in 2010 began investigating insufficient oversight of counternarcotics contracts at the Departments of State and Defense that made it impossible to know if tax dollars are being used properly, released a report that showed federal agencies do not have systems in place to adequately track money spent on more than $3 billion in counternarcotics contracts or evaluate whether those contracts are achieving their goals.

McCaskill has led a successful effort to end hundreds of millions in taxpayer spending on unsustainable overseas projects, bring those resources home, and increase accountability for the remaining U.S.-Afghan projects. During her first term in the Senate, McCaskill waged a successful six-year battle to rein in wasteful wartime contracting practices in Iraq and Afghanistan, and ultimately passed into law the most expansive reforms to wartime contracting practices since World War II.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

McCaskill Makes Jobs for Veterans the Focus of Upcoming Hearing

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill has announced a hearing to examine the progress made by government contractors in the hiring of military veterans. Under federal law, contractors and subcontractors are required to take steps to promote opportunities for qualified veterans, and this hearing of the Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight (SOCO) will review whether these requirements are improving hiring and employment of veterans.

“If you’re getting government contracts, especially through the Department of Defense, you need to be taking steps to make sure that military veterans are well represented in your employee workforce,” said McCaskill. “It’s the law and it’s just good business.”

The hearing, which takes place on Tuesday, June 5, will bring representatives from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, VetJobs, Missouri-based The Mission Continues, and two large government contractors together to discuss hiring practices and how they can be improved.

In preparation for the hearing, McCaskill’s subcommittee released a Veterans Fact Sheet detailing data that had been provided by government contractors to the Department of Labor about veterans hiring practices. The fact sheet shows that much of the data collected by the Department of Labor is incomplete or inaccurate.

Senator McCaskill has been an outspoken advocate for military veterans since coming to the Senate in 2006, and was a founding member of The Veterans Jobs Caucus.  She was as a leading advocate for the Vow to Hire Veterans Act, and has repeatedly rallied support for additional care for veterans returning from combat duty.

A link to the Veterans Fact Sheet is available HERE.

McCaskill Priorities Included in National Defense Legislation

As the Senate Armed Services Committee closed its yearly debate on the National Defense Authorization Act—legislation that sets policy and priorities for the Department of Defense—U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill applauded the Committee for including a host of issues she had championed in the bill.

Among other efforts, McCaskill successfully advocated for the following items critical to Missouri and the U.S. armed forces:

·         Blocking an additional round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). As the Chairman of the Senate panel with jurisdiction over base closures, McCaskill told top military leaders earlier this year that she would not allow any plan to move forward that closes U.S. military bases here at home, given the minimal savings that occurred as a result of the last BRAC round in 2005 and a lack of a full analysis of the costs associated with a new BRAC. Before bases inside the U.S. are closed, the function and necessity of the over 1000 bases abroad should be evaluated.

·         Full funding for the procurement of 26 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and 12 EA-18G Growlers, and the addition of $60 million to for advance procurement for the F-18 to prepare for the likelihood that more of the aircraft will need to be bought in fiscal year 2014 due to massive delays and cost overruns in the F-35 program.  The bill also includes language expressing concerns with the F-35 program and indicating purchases of F-35s should not necessarily occur if the program is not performing on schedule.  The F-35 program has a long history of being behind schedule.

·         Strengthening whistleblower protections provided to employees of government contractors who raise the alarm on waste, fraud, and abuse. As a former State Auditor and prosecutor, McCaskill has consistently championed stronger protections for whistleblowers as a means to better fight waste and misconduct.

·         Overhauling the federal government’s planning, management, and oversight of contracting during overseas contingency operations. The provisions are largely taken from McCaskill’s comprehensive Wartime Contracting legislation, introduced along with Senator Jim Webb (Va.) based on recommendations by the U.S. Commission on Wartime Contracting, itself created by a law passed by McCaskill and Webb and modeled on the World War II era Truman Committee.

·         Instituting a lower cap on the amount of taxpayer money paid to executives of companies that contract with the government.

·         Preventing enrollment fees on TRICARE medical insurance or increases in TRICARE deductibles for members of the military and their families. McCaskill has been a longtime opponent of raising TRICARE fees and has successfully lobbied for increased awareness and funding for soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury and those affected by Post Traumatic Stress.

·         Preventing the Air Force from moving forward on its proposed force structure changes of the Air Guard and Air Force Reserve.

·         Providing additional coverage of fertility treatments for military members who may require such treatments due to chemotherapy, radiation or surgery in order to ensure military servicemembers who face loss of fertility due to medical treatments have a chance to preserve their ability to have children.

 “The priorities for me in considering this defense policy bill were clear—doing right by our men and women in uniform and our military families while ensuring the careful use of taxpayer dollars at a time when the national debt is itself a national security problem.  I’m proud of the bipartisan effort and cooperation that went into drafting this legislation, because doing the right thing for our servicemembers and the defense of our nation is a non-partisan issue.”

The week began as McCaskill—an outspoken advocate for transparency—was once again successful in opening her panel’s consideration of the defense policy bill to the public. McCaskill is the only Senator to hold any portion of the debate in public in the last 15 years.

“The public deserves to be able to witness, understand and scrutinize the positions being advocated and the decisions being made by their elected leaders regarding the over half a trillion dollar defense budget,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Readiness. “We continue to gain votes every year, and I firmly believe that open mark-ups in the full Armed Services Committee are coming in the future.”

McCaskill has served on the Senate Armed Services Committee since coming to the Senate in 2006.