Hegseth Calls Reports of Conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln ‘Completely Misrepresented’ as the Navy Confirms a Sailor Went Overboard

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reports about the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had been “completely misrepresented,” speaking to Newsmax while visiting Panama. The Navy confirmed to CBS News that a sailor attached to the carrier’s air wing went overboard on Aug. 3 and was recovered safely, with the circumstances under investigation. Sen. Richard Blumenthal had written to Hegseth citing reports of supply shortages, water contamination, plumbing failures and deteriorating mental health aboard a ship deployed more than 250 days without a port call in over 200.

The exchange sets an agency’s public account against reporting and congressional oversight on a question of service member welfare during an extended wartime deployment. Sen. Ruben Gallego called for a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the ship.

A Navy official said the command has not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or attempts and that the crew has clean water, working air conditioning and healthy meals. U.S. Central Command said no service members have died during the deployment.