US Lawmakers Demand Probe into USS Lincoln, Question Navy Readiness
Joseph Stepansky
Democratic lawmakers are pressing for an investigation into the USS Abraham Lincoln's record 260-day deployment, citing reports of food shortages and sailor suicide attempts. They argue the conditions reflect poor planning in the Iran war, while the White House dismisses the claims as exaggerated.
US lawmakers have renewed calls for clarity on conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, suggesting that reports from the ship could reveal a troubling issue.
In at least three letters to relevant authorities, Democratic lawmakers have demanded more information about how the US Navy prepared for the ship's record-breaking deployment.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has taken part in military operations against Venezuela as well as the US-Israel war against Iran since leaving San Diego, California, last November. The ship has not made a port call since then. With more than 260 consecutive days at sea, it has broken the Navy's record for the longest deployment without a port visit.
In recent weeks, reports have emerged of sailors attempting to jump overboard amid shortages of food and other supplies. On August 14, Representative Pat Ryan released a letter to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, signed by 22 members of Congress.
The letter states that extended deployments "have become a pattern in how this administration handles the war against Iran," which began on February 28 and shows no signs of ending. Ryan also noted that the USS Gerald Ford previously broke the record for longest deployment during the Iran war and was also the subject of worrying reports about sailor health. That ship returned to the US in April.
"The conditions reported on the Lincoln, coming on the heels of those documented on the Ford, raise concerns in Congress and among the public that the Department of Defense has not adapted quickly enough to the situation," Ryan wrote in the letter dated August 14. He also questioned whether US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East, is "taking appropriate steps to mitigate ongoing challenges in the fleet."
A California delegation, including Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, also sent a letter to the Pentagon demanding an investigation. Another group of Democratic senators sent a letter dated August 15 to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, demanding answers and calling for accountability.
"This is a symptom of poor planning on your part and the President's, exacerbated by the deeply unwise decision to launch a war with Iran," the letter states. "Indefinite deployments caused by an endless war have real consequences for our service members, and we are seeing those consequences right now."
The requests come as the USS Lincoln prepares to head home. Last week, Acting Navy Secretary Cao revealed that the USS Lincoln would soon return to the US. The announcement coincided with the USS George Washington being moved from the Pacific to replace it. However, the Washington's departure leaves the Western Pacific without an aircraft carrier, a region long considered a strategic US interest for containing China's territorial ambitions.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and his defense officials have dismissed reports about conditions on the USS Lincoln as exaggerated. Secretary Hegseth called the reports "completely distorted." Trump also said last week that the ship had not been deployed "long enough." On Monday, Republican lawmaker Don Bacon expressed concern on CBS News' Face the Nation. "We should have oversight," he said.
