House members press Pentagon over stress, conditions on USS Lincoln
What's new: Lawmakers cited water contamination, supply shortages and missing mail as the carrier's deployment stretched past 260 days.
Four House members and Sen. Richard Blumenthal pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, citing reports of unsanitary conditions, inadequate mental health support and failures to brief families and officials. Their letters said the carrier left Naval Base San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, for what was supposed to be a seven-month deployment but remained at sea beyond May with no clear return date. The scrutiny follows reports of basic supply shortages, contaminated water, plumbing problems, deck-safety concerns and disrupted mail service. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper, after visiting the ship, pushed back on the criticism and said many earlier problems had been addressed.