US disputes reports of trying conditions on carrier in Gulf

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended conditions on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, dismissing recent articles in the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes as "completely misrepresented." The reports, based on accounts from sailors' relatives, described difficult living conditions and even a stopped attempt by a crew member to jump overboard.

The carrier, with a crew of about 5,000, departed San Diego in November for what was planned as a Pacific deployment but was rerouted to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury, amid the US war with Iran. Since January, it has operated in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. Hegseth, speaking to reporters in Panama on Thursday, said every effort is made to supply ships and crews, acknowledging that longer deployments with fewer port calls are challenging but praising the sailors' resilience.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego renewed his call for an official Senate oversight visit to the carrier, saying Congress must hold the administration accountable. Senator Richard Blumenthal also demanded the Navy explain reported shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, and deck safety concerns.

The Navy Times and Stars and Stripes highlighted that the deployment includes 40 days of continuous combat operations and 250 consecutive days at sea, including a record stretch without docking. Supplies were replenished at sea and by air. Sailors faced food rationing, water shortages, and no laundry for over a week. A brief port call in Oman in early July allowed replenishment of fresh produce, but shore leave was restricted to a secure compound. Another stop in Guam in December also had limited leave.

The reports noted a suicide prevention incident and declining morale, with sailors seeking a date for returning home. Hegseth said the US Navy can maintain the blockade of Iranian ports indefinitely by rotating ships. President Donald Trump declared on social media that the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting it might keep it permanently. Iran's Basij head, Hossein Taeb, disputed that, asserting Iran's control over the strait. Reuters reported, citing an anonymous US official, that the USS George Washington is being sent to relieve the Lincoln.