During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on March 17, 2026, Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) raised alarms over what he described as a massive lack of financial oversight within the Department of Defense.
Addressing the committee and witness, Associate Deputy IG Adam Kaplan, Moskowitz highlighted a staggering figure of “missing” funds while debating the merits of agency-wide audits and transparency.
The discussion began with a focus on accountability at the United Nations, but Moskowitz quickly pivoted to domestic spending and the consistency of oversight across different government branches. He argued that while waste, fraud, and abuse are frequently cited as reasons to defund or dissolve certain programs, the same logic is rarely applied to the nation’s largest departments.
“There’s waste, fraud, and abuse in the Pentagon, right?” Moskowitz asked during the proceedings. He went on to list specific examples of what he considered frivolous spending throughout the government, including $9 million spent on crab legs, $220 million on furniture, and a $100,000 Steinway piano.
READ: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz Rips Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy Over “Illegal Immigrant” Allegiance
The Florida congressman then pointed to a much larger systemic issue, claiming the Pentagon has failed to pass a financial audit for eight consecutive years
“There’s over two and a half trillion—let me say that again—over two and a half trillion dollars missing in the Pentagon,” Moskowitz stated. “Like real money. And no one’s talking about getting rid of it.”
Moskowitz clarified that he was not advocating for the dissolution of the Pentagon, noting that all agencies provide essential functions. However, he used the $2.5 trillion figure to highlight a perceived double standard in how Congress handles waste and abuse in smaller agencies compared to the Department of Defense.
The hearing also touched on the transition of certain oversight responsibilities to the State Department. Moskowitz questioned whether the State Department currently possesses the personnel and resources to manage these new duties effectively without falling into the same traps of financial mismanagement.
Kaplan agreed that maximum oversight is essential, particularly when billions of dollars are distributed in complex or high-risk overseas environments.
The Department of Defense has long struggled with financial transparency, though the $2.5 trillion figure cited by Moskowitz refers to the value of assets that the department has been unable to properly account for during its repeated failed audits.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Pentagon’s $2.5 Trillion Disappearing Act? Florida Rep Demands Accountability
English 
