Fact Check: Did soldiers set fire and clog toilets of USS Gerald R Ford to skip war duty?

WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms, claiming that the soldiers aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford have clogged the toilets of the ship and set fire to the sleeping quarters to skip their war duty. The claim surfaced amid the war with Iran, sparking speculation. Let us analyze the rumor and fact-check it.

Claim: Soldiers set fire to and clog toilets of USS Gerald R Ford

According to a report by National Public Radio (NPR), the ship’s troubled VCHT system became more clogged, and this time, there was no port available for an acid flush. 

Additionally, a fire also broke out in one of the laundry rooms, which quickly spread and damaged the living quarters of at least 600 sailors before it was controlled.

According to Bloomberg, Navy officials blamed the sailors for the clogging of the sewage system.

"In most instances, clogs are the result of items being flushed that should not be introduced into the system," the Navy said in a press release, citing the carrier's commanding officer. Reports suggest even T-shirts were flushed down the toilets.

Greek newspaper Kathimerini, citing unnamed sources, reported, "One scenario being examined is that the blaze may have been deliberately caused by crew members to terminate their extended mission."

Fact Check: Issues might be due to longer time at sea

Although the officials blamed the sailors for the sewage system clogging, there is no confirmed evidence or official statements that support this claim.

They have also not announced whether they are probing any case of arson in the Ford.

The issues on the ship might be caused by its longer time at sea. According to the US Navy's Optimised Fleet Response Plan (OFRP) released in 2014, the maximum time a vessel of Ford's size should be deployed at sea is eight months.

This ensures that the vessel gets enough time for proper maintenance and overhauls, while the crew gets proper rest, recuperation, and training.

In 2026, however, the Ford broke these rules and was deployed for almost 10 months against the recommended time period of eight.

Speaking to The New York Times, a retired naval officer, Rear Admiral John F Kirby, stated that "Ships get tired too, and they get beat up over the course of long deployments. You can’t run a ship that long and that hard and expect her and her crew to perform at peak capacity."