The U.S. Secretary of Defense has dismissed allegations regarding the poor conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, but sailors are facing serious issues.

Pete Hegseth stated that reports about the difficult conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier are completely distorted. During a visit to Panama, he emphasized the support given to the crew, composed of approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines, who left San Diego in November and arrived in the Middle East in January to support military operations against Iran. Although the deployment was supposed to end in May, it has been extended without a clear return date. Sailors reported precarious conditions, including insufficient meals and shortages in hygiene supplies. Some expressed concerns about mental health, and some crew members had attempted suicide. The wife of a sailor mentioned that her husband is in a medical emergency after a suicide attempt, fearing the consequences of a possible discharge. Democratic legislators criticized the extended deployment and living conditions on the ship, mentioning issues such as lack of drinking water and deterioration of mental health.