Families of U.S. sailors aboard at least three Navy ships are raising concerns about food, water, sanitation and deteriorating morale during extended deployments, broadening scrutiny beyond the USS Abraham Lincoln as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy officials dispute some of the most serious allegations.
Accounts involving the Lincoln, USS Tripoli and USS George H.W. Bush have circulated through journalists and social media in recent days. Relatives have described problems ranging from shortages of fresh food and hygiene products to malfunctioning toilets, unreliable internet service and disrupted mail deliveries.
The reports vary in detail and haven't all been independently verified. The Navy has specifically disputed suggestions of a broader mental-health crisis aboard the Lincoln and says sailors continue to have clean water and functioning air conditioning, while acknowledging difficulties with mail and replenishment operations.
Journalist Jim Acosta said the mother of a sailor who served aboard the Tripoli provided him with text messages describing poor conditions aboard the vessel. Acosta said the woman requested anonymity because she feared her son could face retaliation.
Independent journalist Aaron Parnas separately reported an account from a family member connected to the George H.W. Bush, whose crew had reportedly spent 146 days at sea.
"They have virtually no food, water, or soap," the family member said, describing morale among sailors as low and crew members as "miserable." Other allegations included shortages of fresh food and deliveries of spoiled frozen meat.
Another sailor's relative told MS NOW that a crew member had been subsisting on "half a cup of rice and two tortillas" a day. That claim hasn't been independently confirmed.
The most sustained scrutiny has focused on the Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days while supporting U.S. military operations in the Middle East. The length of the mission has surpassed the six-to-seven-month period commonly associated with carrier deployments.
Families connected to the Lincoln have reported delayed mail and care packages, communications problems and plumbing failures. One parent told MeidasTouch that toilets serving roughly 200 sailors backed up, allegedly leaving about six inches of human waste across lavatory floors.
Navy officials have disputed the broader characterization of conditions aboard the carrier while acknowledging some logistical disruptions. The service says reports from the Lincoln show sailors have continuous access to potable water and working air conditioning.
Mental health has become another point of contention following an Aug. 3 incident in which a Lincoln sailor went overboard. The Navy has confirmed that the sailor was recovered alive but hasn't publicly characterized the incident as an attempted suicide.
The sailor's wife told MS NOW that her husband was in the water for about an hour before being rescued and said she wasn't contacted by Navy officials until four days later, after initially learning about the incident from one of his friends. According to the report, he was subsequently medically evacuated.
His wife also said unreliable internet aboard the carrier had made regular communication difficult. A text reviewed by the network reportedly showed the sailor expressing doubts about whether he could finish the deployment and saying he feared enduring another one.
The Navy said it hasn't detected an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the Lincoln. Officials said sailors continue to have access to medical personnel, chaplains and counseling services, while declining to disclose detailed figures because of privacy and operational considerations.
Hegseth rejected portrayals of the Lincoln's conditions during a visit to Panama, saying the situation had been "completely misrepresented."
"We ensure that every vessel, every crew, and every captain receives all the resources we can offer at every moment," Hegseth said. He acknowledged that some missions run longer than others and praised sailors operating for extended periods without regular port visits.
Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego challenged that account, saying he was receiving messages directly from a military spouse whose husband was serving aboard the carrier.
"Stop lying and fix the problem," Gallego wrote on X.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal has also sought answers from the Navy, asking when officials became aware of allegations involving mold, malfunctioning toilets and laundry facilities, as well as shortages involving water and personal-hygiene supplies.
