US lawmakers press Pentagon over USS Abraham Lincoln crisis
USS George Washington has been sent to the Middle East as lawmakers seek answers on supplies, sanitation and mental health support.
Members of the U.S. Congress pressed the Pentagon after reports of a crisis aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln raised fresh concerns about conditions for the aircraft carrier’s crew. Mike Levin, along with Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding explanations about poor sanitation, what they described as limited mental health support, and the Navy’s communication with crew families. Senator Richard Blumenthal also wrote to Hegseth and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. Lincoln departed San Diego on 21 November 2025 for a seven-month mission, but its deployment to the Middle East to confront Iran has been repeatedly extended. Some reports said the crew was exhausted, short of basic supplies and had made several attempts to jump overboard. Amid the scrutiny, the U.S. sent USS George Washington to the Middle East to replace Lincoln.