Hegseth tells USS Lincoln sailors controversial deployment ‘wasn’t easy’

Key Points:

• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the USS Abraham Lincoln crew for enduring over 260 consecutive days at sea without a port call, setting a navy record during a highly intense deployment supporting US operations in the Middle East.
• Despite reports of supply shortages, deteriorating mental health, and two crew members attempting to jump overboard, Hegseth downplayed these issues and criticized media coverage as misrepresenting the situation.
• Hegseth announced the crew would receive the presidential unit citation for extraordinary heroism, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of their extended deployment amid disrupted regional resupply routes due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
• Concerns remain as Acting Navy Secretary revealed eight suicide attempts among crew members during the deployment, prompting calls from Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, for accountability and improved mental health protections on future extended missions.
• The USS Abraham Lincoln is expected to return to San Diego later this week after being relieved by the USS George Washington in August, concluding one of the most operationally intense deployments in modern US naval history.