Hegseth says reports about conditions on USS Lincoln are misrepresented, but does not deny them

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Thursday that reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the Middle East-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln carrier have been "misrepresented," but did not deny them.

Sailors aboard the carrier have reportedly attempted to jump overboard amid dire conditions during their extended deployment to the Middle East, according to their families. One sailor did jump last week but was rescued an hour later, according to MS NOW.

The aircraft carrier, carrying around 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 to May with no end date announced.

Hegseth told reporters in Panama that reports regarding the conditions on the ship and the deteriorating mental health of its crew have "completely misrepresented" the situation, and expressed the military’s ongoing support of the crew.

“It's completely misrepresented. Listen, we make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment,” Hegseth said. “Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody. What they do in those high seas and those austere conditions with less port calls, it’s incredible."

Hegseth also said he wanted service members to return “home as soon as everybody else” does.

“My commanders know that, our service secretaries know that, [President Trump] expects that,” he said.

The comment comes after some of the crew's family members raised concerns at a town hall in San Diego, California, last week. 

Two people who attended the town hall told MS NOW that 200 angry military family members challenged acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao over the reportedly difficult conditions on the USS Lincoln.  

Cao said the Navy is preparing another carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, to be deployed to the Middle East and relieve the Lincoln, but was not able to specify when that would be, citing operational security.

Anabelle Loma, the wife of a sailor on the Abraham Lincoln, told The Military Times that her husband was on a medical hold following his attempt to jump overboard from the carrier.

“He’s scared,” said Loma. “He thinks he’ll get a dishonorable discharge and, just because he was burnt out, his 13-year career is ruined, just like that,” she said. She added that she was trying to put on a “happy face” for her children but felt like she could “break down” every day.

Maria Rodriguez said her husband on board the ship stopped another man from jumping overboard. She told The Military Times that her husband took hold of the shipmate’s arms and hauled him back to deck, while three other sailors also ran to help.

Navy officials have denied an increase in suicide attempts from the ship.

“The health and well-being of every sailor aboard Abraham Lincoln is a priority,” a U.S. navy spokesperson said in a statement. “Based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship."

The spokesperson also said that religious, medical and mental health professionals were available if there were any concerns.

Following the current deployment, the Lincoln and its sailors will be assigned to a home port at Bremerton, Washington, according to MS NOW. Navy officials said that there would be a 58-day window for families to move, looking at Dec. 31 for them to have a “time frame” of when that could occur.

The Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for more than 250 days, including at least 40 days of continuous combat operations to support the war with Iran, The Hill reported.

Christina Park is a reporter for Just the News. Follow her on X for more coverage.