(REUTERS) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday (August 13) rejected reports of poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, saying accounts of problems on the carrier had been "completely misrepresented."
The comments followed reports by Navy Times and Stars and Stripes describing declining morale and suicide attempts aboard the carrier, which has been deployed since November 2025 and operating in the Middle East since January in support of the U.S. war with Iran.
A U.S. official said the aircraft carrier George Washington is heading to the region with the intention of replacing the Lincoln, but no timeline has been announced.
Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the length of the deployment and reports of water, plumbing and supply issues aboard the ship.
"We don't expect for an aircraft carrier to be the Holiday Inn," Representative Mike Levin told Reuters. "But we also should expect basic habitability. We should expect running water and clean drinking water, enough food to eat, working plumbing, the basics."
Levin also criticized the administration for failing to clearly explain the mission or when sailors would return home.
"We still, almost six months into this thing, don't know when the mission will be accomplished," he said. "If we've won, bring everybody home. And if we haven't, tell the truth about why we're still there."
The White House said President Donald Trump and Hegseth remained committed to ensuring U.S. forces have the resources needed to counter threats.
Posted by: Alma Angeles/NET25 News
