Trump said that the USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment, lasting more than 260 days, was insufficient
U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about the nearly nine-month deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is supporting U.S. operations against Iran. Speaking to reporters before traveling to New York, he stated that the ship’s time at sea—more than 260 days—is “by no means long enough.”
Trump also said that the aircraft carrier is already on the move or will set sail shortly, and that another similar ship will arrive to relieve it. The USS Abraham Lincoln is one of two U.S. aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East.
According to France 24, reports of mental health issues among the sailors and supply problems on board the ship are causing concern. Democrats in the U.S. Congress, including Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, are demanding explanations from the Pentagon regarding service conditions on the aircraft carrier.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hagset stated that reports about the situation on the USS Abraham Lincoln were “completely distorted.” U.S. Central Command also rejected reports of substandard conditions on the ship.
The U.S. Navy reported that it had not recorded an increase in suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts aboard the aircraft carrier. At the same time, the military did not provide relevant data, citing operational security and the confidentiality of medical information. In early August, one sailor fell overboard but was quickly rescued, treated in the ship’s medical facility, and transferred off the ship for further treatment. A Navy spokesperson did not specify whether this incident is being treated as a possible suicide attempt.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington left the port of Da Nang, Vietnam, last week and is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln. Despite a lull in hostilities in recent weeks, the U.S. Navy has resumed its blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Hegset stated that U.S. forces could maintain this blockade indefinitely.
