Navy families say morale is low aboard USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has been deployed for over 260 days, with some reports indicating that sailors and their families have raised concerns about low morale and deteriorating conditions aboard the ship. According to CNN, as reported by The Indian Express and Times of India, these conditions include intermittent food shortages, limited hygiene supplies, problems with toilets and water systems, and a lack of regular port calls.

The carrier, which has about 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, was redirected to West Asia to support US military operations against Iran.

US President Donald Trump has downplayed these concerns, saying the deployment was "not nearly long enough". In response to reports of worsening conditions and mental health concerns, Trump stated that the ship's deployment would be replaced with another similar ship. The US Navy has announced that the USS Abraham Lincoln will return home soon as part of a planned rotation, with Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao stating that the safety and security of sailors and Marines always comes first.

The deployment has sparked scrutiny from members of Congress and the families of those serving aboard the ship. According to Gulf News, the carrier spent 266 days on deployment, including 200 days in a combat zone. Two sailors assigned to the Lincoln strike group reportedly went overboard in recent months and were rescued, while some sailors have described morale aboard the Lincoln as very low, with some reporting suicidal thoughts among fellow crew members, as per CNN, reported by Times of India.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, The Indian Express, Times of India, Gulf News, Jerusalem Post — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.