USS George Washington to Relieve USS Abraham Lincoln Amid Reports of Crew Hardships
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is en route to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose crew has reported food shortages, plumbing problems and mental-health concerns during a nine-month deployment.
The US Navy said the carrier USS George Washington, currently near Malaysia, will sail to the Middle East in roughly nine days to take over duties from the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln, which has been at sea since 11 December on a deployment originally scheduled to end in May, has been cited by sailors' families for food shortages, broken plumbing and deteriorating morale after an extended nine-month tour.
Family members have voiced worries that crew members considered jumping overboard, and one relative, speaking anonymously, said a sailor had lost 65 pounds and suffered from exhaustion due to constant aircraft noise and ship vibrations. The Navy acknowledged supply disruptions caused by combat actions but denied a rise in suicidal behavior.
President Donald Trump told reporters that a replacement ship would arrive, though he did not name it, and dismissed claims that the deployment length was excessive. A US official confirmed that the George Washington left Yokosuka, Japan, in May after Pacific patrols and is expected to reach Duqm port in Oman around 22 August, becoming the third carrier operating in the region.
Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary Hung Cao, stating that reports of shortages and poor conditions warrant immediate attention.