What to Know About the Growing Concerns Over Conditions on the Long-Deployed USS Abraham Lincoln

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea in the Middle East for months, and with no clear end in sight for the war in Iran, concerns for those aboard the aircraft carrier—and for the vessel itself—have mounted amid a series of troubling reports. Another aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, had begun making its way towards the Middle East as of Thursday to replace the Lincoln, multiple news outlets reported. President Donald Trump appeared to confirm the reported ship swap on Friday, saying that the Lincoln "is moving right now, or very shortly and is being replaced with another very similar ship.”The Washington’s deployment comes as reports have emerged in recent months recounting worsening living conditions, mental health concerns, and supply shortages on board the Lincoln. Trump seemed to deny the reports on the state of the Lincoln and its crew on Friday, responding “No, they’re not,” in response to a reporter saying that families of the crew members are worried about conditions on board. He also said, when asked if the carrier has been deployed for too long, that it has been deployed “not nearly long enough.”Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth on Thursday called the reports ...