Trump: Lincoln Deployment Isn't 'Nearly Long Enough'

Military families expressing concerns about their loved ones aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln received a blunt public response on Friday from President Trump. Asked by journalists about reports that relatives are worried about deteriorating conditions on the aircraft carrier—deployed in the Arabian Sea since November—Trump cut off the question with, "No, they're not," the Washington Post reports. He added that the ship is either on the move or will be "very shortly" and will be swapped out with "a very similar ship"; the USS George Washington is on its way to relieve the Lincoln.

Pressed on whether the nearly nine-month deployment is too long, Trump replied it was "not nearly long enough." Families have described food shortages, moldy showers, water problems, broken toilets, and mail delays that keep care packages from arriving. The Navy Times and Stars and Stripes have reported on suicide attempts. The Navy has not publicly detailed any corrective measures in response to the complaints. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, criticized Trump's comments in a post on X, per the AP. "President Trump does not care about our servicemembers or their families," Crow wrote. Democratic and Republican lawmakers want an investigation of the conditions aboard the Lincoln, per Axios.