By The Washington Times (Politics) | Created at 2026-08-14 19:41:07 | Updated at 2026-08-14 20:50:23
2 hours ago
President Trump is dismissing concerns that sailors were deployed for too long on the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that’s been at sea since late 2025 and served as a launchpad for operations in Iran.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is being sent to replace the carrier, as family members of crewmen complain to Congress about conditions aboard the Lincoln.
“That ship is moving right now, or very shortly, and it’s being replaced with another very similar ship,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday.
Asked if the Lincoln’s 7-month deployment went on for too long, Mr. Trump said. “No, no no. Not nearly long enough.”
Families of crew members have told reporters that morale has plummeted aboard the USS Lincoln as a result of a grueling and extended combat deployment to the Middle East.
They have reported cases of severe exhaustion and mental health pressures among the 5,000 Marines and sailors aboard the ship.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, and other lawmakers demanded answers about the ship from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Mr. Hegseth said the reports about conditions on the ship have been “completely misrepresented.”
“We make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain, has everything that we can provide them at every single moment,” he said. “I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody. What they do on the high seas in austere conditions with less port calls is incredible.”
