Hegseth says reports about poor conditions aboard carrier are misrepresented

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called media reports of poor conditions and suicide attempts aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln "completely misrepresented."
The carrier, deployed since January (at sea since Nov 2025), has been reported to face shortages, water/plumbing problems, mail disruptions and declining sailor mental health during the extended wartime deployment.
The USS George Washington is headed to replace the Lincoln, and lawmakers have pressed the Pentagon over the ship's conditions and prolonged deployment.