PRIORITIES

Pentagon Spent $1 Billion in COVID-19 Funding on Military Gadgets

The Pentagon reportedly bought drones, satellites, army uniform fabric, and aircraft parts instead of face masks for hospitals.

The Pentagon spent $1 billion originally intended for the COVID-19 response on military gadgets, The Washington Post reports. The money would have reportedly provided more N-95 masks to hospitals and contributed to the $6 billion needed to distribute a future COVID-19 vaccine. Instead, the Pentagon used the money for drones, satellites, army uniform fabric, aircraft parts, and contracts with Rolls-Royce and ArcelorMittal. “We need to always remember that economic security and national security are very tightly interrelated and our industrial base is really the nexus of the two,” Ellen Lord, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said. The virus has killed more than 200,000 Americans and CDC Director Robert Redfield said this week that more funding for the pandemic is desperately needed.