SAN DIEGO — Families of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have raised concerns about reported shortages of food and basic supplies, plumbing problems and worsening morale as the U.S. aircraft carrier remains on an unusually prolonged deployment in support of military operations against Iran.
The Lincoln, carrying about 5,000 sailors and Marines, has been at sea since November 2025 and has spent more than 250 days on deployment, according to reports. Families and lawmakers have said the extended period away from port has placed additional strain on the crew, with concerns including limited access to hygiene products, disrupted mail and deteriorating living conditions.
The reports have not been independently verified in full. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday rejected accounts of severe conditions aboard the ship, saying reports about the Lincoln had been “completely misrepresented.” He said the Navy was working to support sailors operating under difficult wartime conditions.
The Navy has previously disputed reports that sailors aboard vessels in the region were experiencing food shortages. In April, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said ships in the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group had at least 10 days of food supplies, while most had more than 30 days. He said the Navy had not failed to meet nutritional requirements during the deployment.
Concerns from families have nevertheless drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal has called for answers from the Pentagon over reported problems aboard the carrier, including supplies, water and plumbing, as well as the effect of the prolonged deployment on sailors’ mental health.
The Navy is now preparing a replacement. The USS George Washington has departed Vietnam and is heading toward the Middle East, where it is expected to relieve the Lincoln. U.S. officials have said the carrier rotation was planned in advance rather than being ordered solely in response to the reports about conditions aboard the Lincoln.
The Lincoln’s return date has not been publicly confirmed. Hegseth has said the crew needs to be rotated home, while the Pentagon continues to defend the support available to sailors during the extended deployment.
