Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao pushed back Friday against what he described as dishonest media coverage regarding conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, according to a report published August 15. Cao stated that the reports harm service members and distract from the mission.
The comments follow widespread coverage and online claims involving food and water shortages, disrupted mail service, difficult living conditions, and mental health concerns aboard the carrier.
Cao stated that while a small number of mental health cases were treated, there was no loss of life. He noted that meal plans were adjusted when fresh supplies were unavailable, but no meals were missed. He also said calls home were limited when operational threats were high.
During the carrier's 266-day deployment, which has primarily been in a combat zone, port calls have been rare because the nearest common stops, such as Bahrain, have been within range of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
U.S. Central Command confirmed in a post on X that a sailor on the Lincoln fell overboard earlier this month and was recovered. The circumstances of that incident were not clear.
The issue has drawn attention from U.S. lawmakers. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., announced Thursday that he would seek a report from the Pentagon and the Trump administration detailing conditions aboard the ship and plans to address them.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also stated Thursday that recent reports about the Lincoln were completely misrepresented. President Donald Trump dismissed reports Friday regarding living conditions and mental health, stating that the deployment had not been long enough.
The USS George Washington is being sent to relieve the Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, according to an unidentified Navy official. The Lincoln will return home soon as part of a planned rotation, Cao said.
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper recently completed a 10-day visit to the Middle East, which included a visit to the Lincoln. In a statement, Cooper described the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group as a strong team and noted the deployment has been one of the most operationally intense of the modern era.
