USS George Washington heads to Middle East amid concerns about USS Abraham Lincoln
The carrier USS George Washington departed the Pacific for the Indian Ocean to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has faced reports of mental-health and supply problems during its extended deployment supporting operations against Iran.
The Navy said the Pacific-based carrier USS George Washington left Da Nang, Vietnam, last week and, together with a cruiser and a destroyer, has been sighted crossing the Singapore Strait and the Strait of Malacca on its way to the Indian Ocean. The move is intended to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln as one of the two carriers stationed in the Middle East, officials added.
The Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 240 consecutive days, has been supporting U.S. operations against Iran. Navy statements acknowledge that combat actions disrupted traditional supply hubs in the region, leading to shortages of mail and some supplies aboard the ship. "Leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail," the Navy said, adding that sailors now have access to clean water and healthy meals.
Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations and greater transparency. Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote to Navy leadership asking for answers about the carrier’s prolonged deployment, and Senator Ruben Gallego said he plans a bipartisan oversight visit, describing the treatment of sailors as "dangerous."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the reports of problems were "completely misrepresented" and emphasized that the Pentagon wants the Lincoln’s crew rotated home as quickly as possible. > "We make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment," Hegseth told reporters in Panama.
The Navy also reported a sailor who went overboard in early August was rescued, treated on board and transferred for further care, but declined to label the incident as a suicide attempt. It said it has not observed an increase in suicidal ideation or attempts aboard the carrier.
The shift in carrier deployment comes as the United States maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, a posture the Pentagon says can be sustained indefinitely. The relocation leaves the Pacific without a carrier presence for an unspecified period.