Six largest defense contractors report $49.6 million in lobbying through September, led by Lockheed Martin

By Beatrix Holloway

WASHINGTON — The six largest U.S. defense contractors reported spending a combined $49.6 million on federal lobbying in the first nine months of 2026, about 2% more than the $48.7 million they reported for the same period of 2025, according to their Lobbying Disclosure Act reports. Lockheed Martin again spent the most, reporting $12.41 million through September, including $4.09 million in the third quarter.

Lockheed has reported $4 million or more in each of the past three quarters. RTX, the parent of Raytheon and Pratt & Whitney, reported $11.30 million for the nine months, and General Dynamics $10.10 million. Boeing reported $7.92 million and Northrop Grumman $5.85 million, both below their spending for the first nine months of 2025. L3Harris Technologies, the smallest spender of the six, reported $2.00 million, up from $1.66 million.

The figures are each company’s own reported lobbying expenses. The law lets companies calculate those expenses by one of three methods, so the totals are not strictly comparable from company to company. They do not include the companies’ political action committees or the dues they pay to trade groups such as the Aerospace Industries Association, which lobby separately.

Budget bills and tariffs

The reports list the annual defense spending and authorization bills as the companies’ main business. Lockheed’s third-quarter report lists issues under eight codes, from defense and the budget to taxes, health care and trade. RTX’s report lists “issues related to tariffs on aerospace products and components,” and Boeing’s report lists tariffs and import duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. General Dynamics, which builds Navy submarines through its Electric Boat unit, listed 36 government offices and agencies lobbied in the quarter, the most of the six.

Former staff on the rosters

Among the lobbyists named on the companies’ 2025 and 2026 reports are several former senior congressional and White House aides. RTX’s reports list Anne Chotvacs, who disclosed serving as a House Appropriations Committee staff director from 2019 to 2024, and Brooke Barnard, a House Appropriations professional staff member from 2007 to 2022. RTX’s third-quarter report adds Ashlee Anderson, who disclosed working as professional staff on the House Rules Committee from May 2024 to July 2026. Lockheed lists Stephen Pinkos, who disclosed serving as deputy national security adviser to the vice president in the first Trump administration. Boeing lists Jeff Shockey, a former staff director of the House Intelligence Committee, and General Dynamics lists Karen de los Santos, a former chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget.

Hiring former staff is common across Washington, and the reports do not say which officials each lobbyist contacted.

The Inquisitor has covered the Pentagon’s 10-year F-35 deal and the share of recent Pentagon contracts awarded with a single bidder. Spending figures for outside lobbying firms retained by the six companies are not included here and will be reviewed separately.

Request for comment

The Washington Inquisitor asked Lockheed Martin, RTX, General Dynamics, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris about their lobbying priorities, and asked the watchdog group Public Citizen to put the figures in context. This story will be updated with any responses.

Craig Holman of Public Citizen said lobbying spending rose above $4 billion in 2025. “Corporate spending on lobbying has spiked to an all-time high in the last two years, and the reason is that Trump and his congressional Republicans have opened wide the sales window to purchase federal policies and contracts to those who can afford it,” he said. “Wealthy special interests are having a field day while the federal government sales window is wide open.”

Update, Oct. 26, 2026: This story has been updated with comment from Public Citizen.