WATCH: Trump says USS Lincoln’s deployment was ‘not nearly long enough’
President Donald Trump downplayed concerns from family members of U.S. service members aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln and reported conditions on the aircraft carrier.
The Lincoln has been deployed to the Middle East since November, supporting the U.S. war against Iran for more than 260 days, a record-setting time at sea. Recent reports by multiple military-focused outlets detailed sailors’ deteriorating well-being, including suicidal ideation and sapped morale, as well as supply shortages. A separate carrier – USS George Washington – is on its way to eventually relieve the Lincoln.
When asked about families’ concerns about conditions on the Lincoln, Trump quickly batted down the notion.
“No they’re not,” he told reporters, adding that a similar ship would soon replace the Lincoln.
The reporter had a follow-up question: Has the deployment gone on too long?
“No, no, no,” the president said. “Not nearly long enough.”
Amid the heightened scrutiny, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the claims about conditions were “completely misrepresented.”
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