The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee has demanded answers regarding the well-being of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, citing reports of deteriorating conditions during its extended deployment.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter Wednesday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, expressing concern about the aircraft carrier's operational tempo and the Navy's ability to support its service members. The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days, with over 200 days without a port call, according to Blumenthal's letter.
Reports cited in the letter include shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, mental health challenges, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in mail delivery. These issues raise broader questions about the Navy's capacity to sustain the current demands on its carrier force, particularly as U.S. forces are increasingly committed to conflicts.
Blumenthal's letter comes amid reports of sailor exhaustion and an alleged incident where a sailor attempted to go overboard. A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News that a sailor went overboard in early August and was quickly recovered; the incident is under investigation.
Defense Secretary Hegseth pushed back on these reports Thursday, stating that accounts of sailors struggling through the deployment have been "completely misrepresented." He asserted that the Navy provides all necessary resources to its crews.
A Navy official acknowledged that extended deployments strain service members and their families but stated that the Lincoln has not seen an increase in reported mental health issues or suicidal ideation. Data, according to a U.S. official, shows that deployed ships often experience higher rates of suicidal ideation at the start of a deployment, a trend the Lincoln is reportedly following without any recorded deaths or suicides since its departure last November.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was initially slated for a six-month deployment to the Pacific but was extended to nine months due to its redirection to the Middle East amid the war with Iran. It is currently operating in the North Arabian Sea, and its return date remains unclear. Acting Navy Secretary Cao indicated during a town hall that another carrier would eventually replace the Lincoln, though a timeline has not been provided. The USS George Washington, homeported in Japan, is expected to be the replacement vessel as part of a planned rotation.
Blumenthal noted that the USS Abraham Lincoln's extended deployment is not an isolated incident, pointing to the prolonged deployment of the USS Gerald Ford earlier this year. He suggested that extended deployments may be becoming a standard feature of the Navy's force-generation model.
"The Administration has yet to adequately explain the objectives, end state, or anticipated duration of those operations," Blumenthal wrote, specifically referencing the war with Iran. "If the Administration intends to maintain a prolonged military campaign or an elevated carrier presence in the region, it must explain how it intends to ensure today's operational requirements do not create tomorrow's readiness crisis."
The letter requests detailed responses from Defense Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Cao regarding the Navy's 12-to-24-month plan for carrier strike groups in the Middle East, the authorization and timing of the Lincoln's deployment extensions, and the specific military objectives for its prolonged mission. Blumenthal also seeks an accounting of habitability, supply, and quality-of-life issues aboard the Lincoln, as well as the metrics the Navy uses to address fatigue, morale, mental health, and crew readiness.
Other Democrats have also voiced concerns. Sen. Chris Coons suggested that reports from the Lincoln highlight a gap in investments in service members' daily lives and support systems, despite increased defense spending. He attributed the strain on the Navy to multiple unscheduled deployments, including to the Southern Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, alongside the ongoing conflict in Iran and global threats.
Earlier this year, Democrats blocked the consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act over objections to the administration's actions in Iran, which they argued had not been authorized by Congress. Sen. Ruben Gallego has called for a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit and investigate the Lincoln, while Sen. Mary Kelly stated that long deployments are more difficult when the mission lacks clarity and an end in sight.