An audit report obtained by Politico reveals a division of the Defense Department, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), cannot account for more than $800 million in building expenses. The money is believed to have gone to construction projects, but there is no paper trail. The auditors concluded this is not an isolated incident, but a result of the agency's failure to develop any "reliable way to track the huge sums it's responsible for," Politico reports.
The DLA has an annual budget of about $40 billion, less than 6 percent of the $700 billion in this year's DoD budget. Its audit is part of the first full audit the Pentagon has ever undergone, despite being required by law to submit to an annual audit for decades.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Puppet shows, pagodas and pho: a guide to HanoiThe Week Recommends Vietnam's capital city blends the ancient with the new
-
'There are benefits, but not acknowledging them would tell only half of the story'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
What Trump's win could mean for Big TechTalking Points The tech industry is bracing itself for Trump's second administration
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strikeSpeed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homesSpeed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bidSpeed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detenteSpeed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
