President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP WASHINGTON – Families of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln condemn President Trump’s comments about the ship’s record-breaking deployment. A U.S. defense official who is not authorized to speak publicly told NPR that the USS George Washington is en route to relieve the USS Lincoln, which has been at sea for nearly nine months. Trump was asked by reporters on Friday if the USS Lincoln deployment had dragged on too long. “No, not enough,” Trump said. His comments come amid reports of food shortages, plumbing problems and deteriorating mental health among crew members. There have even been some reports, which NPR has not been able to independently confirm, that sailors attempted to jump overboard. Karen Bramlett’s grandson is on the boat. He asked NPR not to use his name for fear he could face repercussions or harassment from the military. Bramlett said he is able to communicate with his grandson through Instagram about once a week. “He says he’s fine mentally and physically, thank God,” Bramlett said. “But he’s just depressed. Given the conditions there, you can’t really blame him.” Bramlett said his grandson enlisted in the Navy about two years ago. She said it was a dream for him. “But now he says he can’t wait to finish,” Bramlett said. “Those dreams have been shattered.” “Donald Trump needs to be ashamed of himself for letting them suffer like they are,” he continued. “They’re out there fighting for our country. And this is the thanks they get? They can’t even get help from him or his administration.” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in a statement Friday that the USS Lincoln’s mission was extended because the conflict with Iran demanded it. “It is also true: a small number of mental health cases were treated without loss of life,” Cao said. “Meal plans were adjusted when fresh resupply was not available, without a single meal being missed. Calls home were limited when the operational threat was too high.” Cao said those aboard the USS Lincoln are the “epitome of American strength and resilience.” “There is no doubt that our young men and women have been pushed to their limits, but they have never surpassed them,” Cao said. “They’re really tired, but they’ve never been out of the fight.” Democrats demand investigation Democrats demand that the Pentagon investigate and take responsibility for the conditions. Speaking to NPR’s Morning Edition on Friday, Sen. Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) accused the Trump administration of not having a plan. “Right now they’re just winging it,” he said, adding that he felt the Pentagon’s handling of the deployment was “not adequate leadership.” Gallego also said he had spoken to some crew members aboard the ship. “We can talk to a lot of these sailors,” Gallego said. “We can talk to their spouses. And that’s why I think it’s important that we allow a bipartisan group of members of the House and Senate to go visit these sailors – something that has happened before – to make sure that we know that they are doing well and that the secretary of Defense is not lying to us.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said media reports about conditions on the ship are “distorted” and said the United States may maintain a naval blockade against Iran indefinitely. Speaking to NPR’s All Things Considered, Julie Roland, a former Navy helicopter pilot, said there is a need to provide care for the approximately 5,000 sailors returning to the U.S. from the USS Lincoln. “I don’t think anyone wants to be stuck in their office for 200 days without being able to see their friends or family, no matter how good their job is,” Roland said. “Some people really struggle with the mental health of just the transition from life on board to returning home. When they come back, we have to embrace them and deal with the residual effects of having gone through this.”
