Hegseth to greet USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego this week after months-long deployment

War Secretary Pete Hegseth will welcome Navy sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln home in San Diego this week, after a months-long deployment in the Middle East.

The ship and its crew made headlines recently after reports surfaced that sailors aboard the ship attempted suicide during the deployment because of conditions on the ship. The Lincoln has been deployed for over 300 days.

The Pentagon said Hegseth will depart for San Diego on Tuesday and greet the sailors on Wednesday, where he will also speak with the crew, participate in physical training and eat lunch with the service members.

The return comes after the military downplayed the situation on the naval ship, despite reports surfacing that sailors aboard the carrier attempted to jump overboard. One sailor did allegedly jump but was rescued.

Acting Naval Secretary Hung Cao confirmed some of the conditions on board the ship, which included piping failures and temporary issues with its reverse osmosis desalination units. The issues were due to "high-ambient seawater temperatures and continuous operations."

The Lincoln, carrying approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines, was deployed in the Pacific and South China Sea last November but has been supporting U.S. military operations more recently in the Middle East. The crew's deployment was extended in May with no end date announced at the time. They have been at sea for 320 days.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.