President Trump has rejected concerns raised by family members and lawmakers regarding the conditions and extended deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The aircraft carrier has been stationed in the Arabian Sea since January, a deployment that has lasted over nine months.
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews before departing for an event on Long Island, Trump told reporters that the ship is scheduled to be replaced shortly by the USS George Washington. "That ship is moving right now, or very shortly, and it’s being replaced with another very similar ship," he stated. When asked if the ship had been away from shore too long, Trump responded, "No, not nearly long enough."
This statement comes amid multiple reports detailing the severe mental toll on the approximately 5,000 service members aboard the Lincoln due to poor living conditions and a lack of downtime. According to the Navy Times and Wall Street Journal, at least three sailors have reportedly attempted to jump overboard or have done so, requiring rescue by their colleagues.
More than 200 family members reportedly met with acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao in San Diego to voice their issues. However, Trump dismissed the idea that relatives were concerned about conditions on the ship, stating, "no, they’re not."
The typical deployment for a naval vessel is six months, making the USS Lincoln's mission approximately three months longer than the standard. The Navy is dispatching the USS George Washington to relieve the Lincoln in the Middle East, though it is still several days away from reaching the vessel.
Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), whose district includes part of San Diego County, has been vocal about the crew's situation. He posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Respectfully, Mr. President, I’d like to see you survive a week on that ship." Levin also shared reports alleging issues such as "moldy showers, broken toilets, no hot water for weeks, meals that came down to half a cup of rice and two tortillas," a depleted ship's store lacking basic necessities, and a ship's doctor warning of the crew's deteriorating mental state.
Several Democratic lawmakers have requested information from the Pentagon concerning the prolonged deployment and the crew's health. In response to the allegations, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that the crew is being cared for and that the situation aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has been "completely misrepresented." He added, "We make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment. Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody."