Hegseth finally speaks out about dire conditions on Lincoln amid rotten food, low moral reports

WASHINGTON, DC: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth finally spoke about the reports of dire and desperate conditions aboard Abraham Lincoln.

According to several media reports, text messages a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln sent home have revealed details about the deteriorating conditions on board. The sailor said they were not getting fresh food because it would no longer be fresh by the time it reached the personnel.

Hegseth calls reports of deteriorating conditions are misrepresented

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, August 11, claimed that conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier have been “completely misrepresented” following reports that sailors are struggling with low morale during an extended deployment.

While Hegseth did not directly address the reports of food shortages, rotten supplies and deteriorating mental health of sailors, speaking with Newsmax, he said that he tries to provide everything possible to deployed sailors and is more grateful for those who are on extended deployment.

“Listen, we make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment,” the Defense secretary said.

“Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody. What they do in those high seas and those austere conditions with less port calls, it’s incredible.”

Hegseth added that he wants the service members “home as soon as everybody else” does.

“My commanders know that, our service secretaries know that, [President Trump] expects that,” he said.

Democrats write to Hegseth as scrutiny over Abraham Lincoln mounts

The Pentagon is facing heightened scrutiny since the family members of those serving aboard  the ship shared sailors’ grievances with the Navy and said that several of them tried jumping overboard or have been prevented from doing so in recent months.

However, Navy has denied such attempts by sailors.

Amid the reports, Sen Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote letter to Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to express “serious concerns” about the aircraft carrier’s extended deployment.

“The Lincoln is not an isolated case. Recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched beyond their original anticipated durations, suggesting that extended deployments may be becoming a feature rather than an exception of the Navy’s force-generation model,” Blumenthal wrote.

And Sen Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) on Thursday called for more scrutiny of the conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln, demanding an official, bipartisan visit to the carrier.

“It’s clear Donald Trump, who avoided active duty himself, couldn’t care less about the health and safety our service members. Congress needs to do its job and hold this administration accountable,” Gallego posted on social platform X.