Democrats call for USS Lincoln probe, question US Navy’s readiness

What the report says

Democratic lawmakers in the United States are pressing the Pentagon and Navy for answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, arguing that reports from the carrier may point to a broader problem in how long deployments are being managed during the war against Iran. The appeals, reported by Al Jazeera, focus on whether the Navy prepared adequately for the ship’s record-setting mission and whether military leadership is responding fast enough to strain on sailors.

According to the report, the Lincoln left San Diego in November and has spent more than 260 days at sea without a port call, making it the longest deployment without a stop in U.S. Navy history. Recent reports have raised concerns about shortages of food and supplies and about some crew members attempting to jump overboard. Representative Pat Ryan and 22 other lawmakers sent a letter to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, while California lawmakers, including Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, also sought an inquiry.

A separate letter from Democratic senators to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the situation as evidence of poor planning and said open-ended deployments can have real consequences for service members. The lawmakers linked the Lincoln’s situation to similar concerns that surfaced earlier aboard the USS Gerald Ford, another carrier deployed in connection with the Iran war.

The Pentagon and President Donald Trump have rejected suggestions that the reports reflect a serious crisis, calling them overstated. Still, the controversy comes as the Lincoln prepares to return home and the Navy shifts other carrier deployments, raising questions about readiness in the Middle East and the strain on U.S. forces elsewhere.