U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Iraq War, is seeking a visit to the Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is on a record nearly nine-month deployment in the Middle East and is supporting U.S. operations in the war against Iran.
During an in-person and virtual meeting with acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao last week, family members of the sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln voiced their concerns about mental health, supply shortages and water contamination on the carrier. Some reportedly said that their loved ones had threatened to jump off the aircraft carrier, a claim Gallego referenced in his statement.
[NOTE: Approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines remain on the Lincoln, a deployment that began November 21. Military Times reported that “the deployment, which was anticipated to end in May, has been extended with no publicly announced return date.”]
I’m seeking an official oversight visit with a bipartisan Senate Delegation to the USS Lincoln to investigate the reported alarming conditions.
Unlike Donald Trump, I’ve seen active duty. The way he’s treating our service members as he carries out this illegal war is not just…
— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) August 13, 2026
MS Now reported that Cao recently told a tension-filled town hall at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego that the Navy is preparing another carrier strike group to deploy to the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln. “But Cao,” the outlet wrote, “was unable to specify when that relief would come, citing operational security.”
Gallego announced on social media: “I’m seeking an official oversight visit with a bipartisan Senate Delegation to the USS Lincoln to investigate the reported alarming conditions. Unlike Donald Trump, I’ve seen active duty. The way he’s treating our service members as he carries out this illegal war is not just disgusting; it’s dangerous. These sailors are owed a sense of when they will go home. The stories of crew members threatening to jump off the ship are a frightening alarm bell as to how bad the situation has become: moldy showers, sporadic hot water, rationed meals and soap, broken toilets, and grueling 12- to 16-hour shifts with no days off. Congress must do its duty to provide oversight and hold the administration accountable for these actions.”
On Wednesday, Cao shared photos of his address to additional sailors and Marines in San Diego, preparing to deploy. He wrote: “Last week in San Diego, I spent time on the waterfront with the Fleet as they continue to train and prepare to deploy. From Surface and Aviation crews to our special operators, the focus is clear. It is the dedication of our people and their daily grind that drives our warfighting readiness—ensuring we are ready to execute any mission whenever our nation calls.”
Last week in San Diego, I spent time on the waterfront with the Fleet as they continue to train and prepare to deploy.
From Surface and Aviation crews to our special operators, the focus is clear. It is the dedication of our people and their daily grind that drives our… pic.twitter.com/retQYRdXzt
— Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao (@SECNAV) August 12, 2026