Admiral praises sailors after USS Lincoln visit
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The gist
Admiral Brad Cooper praised USS Lincoln sailors but conceded hardships after visiting the carrier.
The visit comes amid reports of poor conditions and morale, with the Navy sending.
Background
The USS Abraham Lincoln, a San Diego-based carrier with about 5,000 sailors, has been deployed for almost nine months supporting U.S. operations against Iran. Reports have surfaced of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, and deteriorating mental health aboard. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, visited the carrier and acknowledged the challenges while insisting mental health cases are lower than on other carriers. The Navy is sending the USS George Washington to relieve the Lincoln.
How it unfolded
- recentlyAdmiral Brad Cooper visited the USS Abraham Lincoln and praised the crew, calling their work 'awe-inspiring' and the deployment one of the most operationally intense of the modern era.
- recentlyActing Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the crew spent more than 200 days in a combat zone and carried out more than 10,000 sorties.
- recentlyPresident Trump dismissed concerns about the crew's mental health, saying 'Not nearly long enough' when asked if the deployment had gone on too long.
- recentlyDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed reports of grim conditions as 'misrepresented.'
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Admiral Cooper praised the sailors and said mental health issues are lower than on other carriers, while acknowledging the deployment is tough.
- Official
- President Trump said he was not concerned about the crew's mental health and that the deployment was 'not nearly long enough.'
- Official
- Defense Secretary Hegseth said the situation had been 'misrepresented.'
- Public
- Family members and some reports describe low morale and suicide attempts aboard the ship, calling it a disaster.
Still unverified
Reports of suicide attempts aboard the USS Lincoln are mentioned by a PBS commentator but not officially confirmed.