Trump defends carrier deployment as Democrats demand answers on crew conditions

President Trump dismissed concerns about the USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment, saying families of the crew are not worried despite relatives raising alarms, while confirming that the USS George Washington will replace the Lincoln on its Iran-related mission. The George Washington is en route to the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days after being redirected to support the military operation in Iran.

The extended deployment has been accompanied by reports of mental health crises aboard the Lincoln, including attempts by service members to jump overboard, and chronic food shortages. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the reports were "completely misrepresented."

Democratic lawmakers pushed back on Hegseth's characterization. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a Marine veteran, said he had been in contact with the wife of a service member who forwarded her husband's texts about conditions onboard, telling Hegseth to "stop lying and fix the problem." Senator Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran, said he spoke with a woman worried about her grandson, an electrician aboard the Lincoln who has lost 20 to 25 pounds and is struggling with depression, and renewed calls for an investigation.

Read the full story at theguardian.com.