Trump Dismisses Criticism Over Extended Carrier Deployment, US Lawmakers Outraged and Iran Fiercely Denies Claims
US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy after downplaying the impact on sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, who have been deployed at sea for nearly nine months without a break. Trump’s remarks came as concerns over mental health and logistical supplies on the aircraft carrier continue to mount.
Trump rejected the notion that the families of the crew were complaining about the length of the deployment. He even suggested the deployment duration was not yet long enough, despite the USS Abraham Lincoln having logged more than 240 days at sea without returning to port.
“That ship is moving now, or will be moving soon, and will be replaced by another very similar ship,” Trump said, as quoted by AP News on Saturday (15/6/2026).
Meanwhile, Acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao stated via social media that the USS Abraham Lincoln would soon be returning home.
Trump’s remarks drew scrutiny because he had previously pledged to avoid lengthy and costly military entanglements when he began his second term. However, after launching military operations against Iran alongside Israel, a conflict initially expected to last only a few weeks has now entered its fifth month.
In a speech in Garden City, New York, Trump acknowledged that he had used US military force somewhat more than he would have liked, but maintained that the operation against Iran was going well. He even joked that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory.
Trump also refused to apologise for the war and its impact on oil prices.
“I will never apologise. I did the right thing,” he said.
The prolonged carrier deployment during the Iran conflict has raised concerns about the toll on military personnel who must remain away from their families for extended periods. Additionally, the strain on the ship and its equipment is also considered to be increasing.
Several Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, have urged the Pentagon to take responsibility for conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth previously stated that reports about the ship’s condition had been completely misrepresented.
Congressman Jason Crow, a veteran of three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, criticised Trump’s remarks on social media platform X.
“President Trump does not care about our service members or their families,” Crow wrote.
Democratic leaders on the US House Oversight Committee have also requested a closed briefing from the Pentagon regarding food supplies, sanitation issues, availability of healthcare services, and estimates of how much longer the USS Abraham Lincoln will remain deployed before receiving a replacement.
Reports of rising psychological stress among the crew have also drawn public attention. However, the US Navy stated it has not seen an increase in cases of suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Nevertheless, the Navy declined to publish the data, citing operational security and patient privacy.
A Navy official revealed that a sailor from the USS Abraham Lincoln fell overboard in early August. The individual was rescued, received treatment from the ship’s medical team, and was subsequently transferred to another facility for further care. The official did not say whether the incident was classified as a suicide attempt.
Iran has firmly rejected Trump’s claim that the Strait of Hormuz would soon become United States territory. The rejection came amid rising security tensions in the strategic shipping lane after a vessel was reported hit by a projectile, while prospects for resuming talks between Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked.
Citing CNBC International, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iranian control and cannot be seized through political threats or military force.
“The Strait of Hormuz has belonged to Iran, belongs to Iran, and will remain Iran’s. This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command,” Gharibabadi wrote on his X account on Friday evening.
He also directly mocked Trump’s statement. “The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized with tweets, aircraft carriers, unilateral orders, or campaign speeches,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that relations between the two countries have shown no signs of moving towards a ceasefire or negotiations.
“There are no negotiations taking place between us and the United States at this time,” Araghchi said, as quoted by Iranian media outlet Shahrara News on Saturday.
He added that Qatar and Pakistan are indeed exchanging messages with both parties, but that does not mean a negotiation process has begun.
On the other hand, the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz has deteriorated further. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO), an agency supported by the Royal Navy, reported receiving a verified report of a bulk cargo vessel struck by an unknown projectile.