State Department spending records show that the State Department spent $443,914,384 toward a wide variety of items. Some of the more unusual or unexpected expenses are below. See interactive graphic.
- $4,423,187 for chemical analysis instruments
- $3,463,199 for men’s outerwear
- $3,063,669 in newspapers and periodicals
- $2,025,334 in unmanned aircraft
- $1,811,959 in live animals not raised for food
- $1,761,026 in personal armor
- $1,734,593 in air purification equipment
- $835,184 in night-vision equipment
- $708,981 in ground-effect vehicles, which Wikipedia says are “designed to attain sustained flight over a level surface (usually over the sea)”
- $707,153 for credit reporting agencies
- $484,449 for tactical sets, kits and outfits
- $393,960 for iron and steel scrap
- $193,225 in power-driven hand tools
- $175,080 in recreational and gymnastic equipment
- $171,853 in guns, through 30mm
- $65,003 in musical instruments
- $55,611 in microfilm, processed
- $35,837 in space vehicles
- $33,947 in alcoholic beverages
- $26,811 in other cryptologic equipment and components
- $10,582 in toiletry paper products