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Lincoln returns amid mental health
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Adm. Brad Cooper visited the USS Abraham Lincoln on Saturday and said his time aboard was “awe-inspiring” as the aircraft carrier returns home after being docked in the Middle East for more than 260 days.
“Cooper called his visit to the ship on Saturday “awe-inspiring””
Cooper said the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health among the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, while acknowledging that “This doesn’t mean that all is perfect.”
The Hill reported that the Lincoln had been at sea for more than 260 days and that Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced the ship was returning home after the deployment was extended beyond its intended end in May.
The Independent said the ship has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard and that Cooper praised “resilience” after reports of mental health and supply challenges on the vessel.
Fox News added that the Lincoln has been at the center of a dispute over allegations of supply shortages, plumbing problems and crew members threatening to jump overboard as officials said it would be replaced soon.
Trump, Hegseth, and lawmakers
President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about the length of the Lincoln’s deployment, telling reporters on Friday “No, no, no” and adding “not nearly long enough.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brushed off the reports, saying they were “completely misrepresented,” while Cooper’s statement to X emphasized that extended deployments can still be challenging because “every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways.”
CNBC reported that lawmakers questioned the Pentagon over conditions aboard the Lincoln, and it quoted Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., saying there “must be accountability for the reported deteriorating conditions endured by our service members.”
The Independent said Cooper also described the deployment as “History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era,” while noting that Cooper visited the ship this week and praised leadership for prioritizing mental health and crew resilience.
Fox News described Sean Parnell blasting the media treatment of the USS Abraham Lincoln as “something different,” saying “Legitimate challenges of a long combat deployment are being twisted into a false narrative.”
Replacement and wider Iran war
Multiple outlets said the USS George Washington is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, with The Hill stating the U.S. military is sending the George Washington to the Middle East in place of the Lincoln.
“the U.S. military, which has said the reports have been overblown or mischaracterized, is sending the USS George Washington”
The Independent said the Lincoln left its home port of San Diego in November and was deployed in the Middle East since January, supporting the U.S. war effort and naval blockade against Iran.
Fortune reported that Cooper visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day tour that concluded on Saturday, and it quoted Cooper saying “History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era.”
El Nuevo Día, produced by The Associated Press, said the USS George Washington began heading toward the Middle East after reports of mental health and supply problems aboard the USS Lincoln, and it quoted that the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the reports “completamente tergiversadas.”
The Hill said Cooper’s 10-day trip included Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while it also reported that the Lincoln’s deployment was initially intended to end in May before being extended after Cao said the mission “demanded it.”
