Ex-Marine Joey Jones slams critics for attacking Pentagon over military’s steak and lobster meals

WASHINGTON, DC: After Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced criticism for the Pentagon's spending on military’s steak and lobster meals, former Marine Joey Jones has a message for them.

Taking to X (formerly Twittr) on Thursday, March 12, the combat-wounded veteran said, “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?”

Joey Jones calls critics 'idiots' for attacking Pentagon over steak and lobster meals budget

“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,” Jones claimed.

While slamming the critics, the Fox News co-host also recalled the time when he and his unit were given steak and lobster while they were serving in Afghanistan in the middle of a "really tough summer.”

One of his friends told Jones that “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.’”

“After that day, for weeks, we talked about steak and lobster night. It's the only one I've ever gotten overseas,” he added in his X post, the caption of which read, “To all the idiots criticizing the pentagon for surf and turf, here's a story for you.”

Pete Hegseth's Pentagon faces scrutiny for spending $15.1 million on ribeye steaks in single month last year

Jones' statement came after it was found out by the government spending watchdog Open The Books that Hegseth’s Department of Defense used $6.9 million for lobster tails and $15.1 million for ribeye steaks in September 2025.

California Governor Gavin Newsom took a dig at Hegseth following the release of the report. In an X post, he shared a photo of the defense secretary relaxing in the middle of lavish meals.

“HEGSETH BLOWING $93 BILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN 1 MONTH !!” Newsom's press office captioned the post.

Rep Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) also thrashed Hegseth as she posted on social media, “In addition to billions of taxpayer dollars being burned in this war in Iran, reports are showing that Sec. Pete Hegseth blew $93 billion in federal DOD funding at the end of last year on: $3.5 billion for cable TV $225 million for furniture $15.1 million for ribeye steaks $6.9 million for lobster tails $2 million for Alaskan king crab $1 million for salmon…”

“You better believe we’ll be investigating,” she stated.