A US aircraft carrier is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for nine months amid reports of food shortages and deteriorating conditions, raising mental‑health concerns among sailors.
Family members of those aboard speak of weight loss and exhaustion, with some claiming their relatives have attempted to jump overboard due to the conditions. The Navy has acknowledged supply disruptions but denied a mental‑health crisis on board.
President Trump told reporters that the deployment was "not nearly long enough" and dismissed worries that the ship’s crew were suffering. He confirmed a replacement would come but did not name the new vessel.
Tracking shows the USS George Washington, which departed Yokosuka, Japan, will arrive in Duqm, Oman, about 22 August, adding to the second carrier already there, the USS George HW Bush, and leaving no US carriers in the Pacific.
Democratic lawmakers expressed concern, asking the Defence Secretary to ensure crew wellbeing and questioning whether the Navy can sustain its current operational tempo. The Navy pledged to provide every ship, crew and captain with necessary supplies at all times.
