Senators press Navy on USS Lincoln after 250-day deployment
What's new: Hegseth disputed the reports, while a US official said the George Washington carrier is headed to the region to replace Lincoln.
Democratic senators are pressing the Navy for answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after the carrier spent more than 250 days deployed and more than 200 days without coming ashore. Sen. Richard Blumenthal cited reports of food shortages, water contamination, plumbing failures, mail disruptions, deck safety concerns and worsening mental health among the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines on board. Sen. Ruben Gallego also sought a bipartisan oversight visit. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back, calling the accounts “completely misrepresented” during a visit to Panama. A US official said the USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East in a pre-planned move intended to replace Lincoln.