US Navy sends new warship to replace USS Lincoln in Iran war amid mental health crisis, sailors threatening to jump overboard

The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington has begun moving toward the Middle East as concerns mount over mental health, supply shortages and the prolonged deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln has supported the US war against Iran and has spent more than 240 consecutive days at sea, setting a record for uninterrupted time deployed.

The extended deployment has prompted Democratic lawmakers to seek greater accountability from the Pentagon over conditions aboard the carrier. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected reports about problems aboard the Lincoln on Thursday, saying they had been “completely misrepresented.”

Also Read: US Senator says Navy personel allegedly tried to jump of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deployed to fight Iran in Middle East

USS George Washington moves west

The USS George Washington departed Da Nang, Vietnam, last week, according to a Navy statement. The carrier has since been seen crossing the Singapore Strait alongside a cruiser and a destroyer.

A Navy official, speaking anonymously to discuss sensitive ship movements, confirmed that the Washington was in the Strait of Malacca. The waterway connects the Pacific and Indian oceans, placing the carrier on a route toward the Indian Ocean.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the Washington would replace the Lincoln as one of two US aircraft carriers currently stationed in the Middle East.

The deployment would leave the Pacific without a US aircraft carrier presence for an unspecified period. The Trump administration has described China as a “settled force” that needs to be deterred from dominating the US or its allies, rather than treating Beijing as the primary global adversary as the Biden administration did.

USS Abraham Lincoln faces extended deployment

The Lincoln left San Diego on November 21 and reached the Middle East in January, before the US war with Iran began on February 28. Its deployment has been extended amid continuing military operations and uncertainty over how the conflict will end.

The Navy acknowledged that combat operations created a “highly contested environment” in which traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted. The situation contributed to shortages and delays in mail reaching the aircraft carrier.

According to the Navy, mission-critical supplies were prioritised, with food receiving priority followed by hygiene items and mail. The service said sailors now have access to clean water and healthy meal options.

The Navy has also reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth said the US could maintain the blockade “indefinitely,” while the Trump administration has not provided details on how it plans to bring the war to an end.

Lawmakers seek greater oversight

Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations and more information about conditions aboard the Lincoln, which had originally been scheduled to return home in May.

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Navy leadership seeking answers about the prolonged deployment. He said the extended mission was particularly significant because military operations against Iran were continuing and substantial US naval forces could be required in the region for an extended period.

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, said he was seeking to organise a bipartisan delegation to conduct an official oversight visit to the ship. He described the reported treatment of sailors as “not just disgusting; it’s dangerous.”

Hegseth said during a visit to Panama that he wanted the Lincoln’s sailors to return home and crews to be rotated as quickly as possible. However, he defended the Navy’s support for the ship and its personnel, praising sailors serving in difficult conditions with fewer port visits.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and other Navy leaders held a tense town hall with families of Lincoln sailors last week. Navy commanders responsible for air and surface forces told families they would do everything possible to provide relief to the carrier.

Mental health concerns emerge

Reports have also raised concerns about the mental health of sailors aboard the Lincoln. The Navy said it had “not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship,” but officials declined to provide data, citing operational security and patient privacy.

A Navy official said a sailor went overboard in early August but was quickly recovered. The sailor received treatment from the ship's medical department before being transferred off the carrier for further care. The official did not say whether the incident was being considered a suicide attempt.

The Navy had previously rejected reports of food shortages aboard the carrier when they first emerged in April, describing those reports as “false.”

Long deployments raise wider concerns

The Lincoln is not the only US aircraft carrier to face concerns related to lengthy deployments. The USS Gerald R. Ford returned home in mid-May following an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War. During that deployment, the carrier supported the US war with Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The Ford also experienced a fire in a laundry area that forced it to turn back to the Mediterranean Sea for repairs. The incident left hundreds of sailors without sleeping quarters.

Concerns over the strain placed on ships and their crews existed before the Iran war. Several incidents involving US Navy ships engaged against Houthi rebels in Yemen in 2024 and 2025, including the USS Harry S. Truman during a longer-than-expected deployment, had already highlighted the demands and risks associated with extended operations.