Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Thursday, even as the carrier’s roughly 5,000 sailors remain on a deployment stretching beyond 250 days amid U.S. operations against Iran.

Hegseth, speaking to Newsmax, called accounts of poor conditions "completely misrepresented." He stated that the department ensures every ship, crew, and captain has everything provided at every moment, adding that sailors in austere conditions with fewer port calls were doing incredible work.

Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over Sailor Welfare

The comments followed reports that families told Navy leaders several sailors had attempted to jump overboard or were stopped from doing so. The Navy said it had not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to address reports of supply shortages, contaminated water, plumbing failures, mail disruptions, and worsening mental health in a letter on Wednesday. Blumenthal warned long carrier deployments may be becoming a feature rather than an exception.

Iran Mission Extends Lincoln’s Time At Sea

The Lincoln left San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, and has gone more than 200 days without a port call. The carrier was initially expected home in May but has no publicly announced return date. It originally deployed to the Indo-Pacific before Washington redirected it toward the Middle East in January as tensions with Tehran surged.

President Trump described the carrier-led force as a massive Armada. In February, an F-35C from the Lincoln shot down an Iranian drone that the U.S. military said approached the carrier aggressively. The carrier later supported the Iran war, which has strained U.S. forces and munitions.

Pentagon estimates put the conflict’s cost at roughly $25 billion by late April, while lawmakers questioned the longer-term burden on military readiness. The Wall Street Journal revealed on Thursday that the USS George Washington is expected to head to the region to replace the Lincoln in a move a U.S. official described as pre-planned.

Hegseth said he wants the sailors home as soon as everybody else, adding that commanders, service secretaries, and President Trump expect that outcome.