U.S. Navy sailors line up during offshore refueling on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during Operation Epic Fury, an attack on Iran from an undisclosed location on March 10, 2026.
US Navy | via Reuters
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, acknowledged on Sunday that there were mental health issues on board the aircraft carrier Lincoln following reports that a sailor jumped overboard during its long deployment to the Middle East.
“Here’s an important fact: Lincoln currently has one of the lowest numbers of mental health-related infections of the 11 active duty aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy,” Cooper said in a statement posted to X after Saturday’s visit to the ship. “This doesn’t mean everything is perfect. If you were to find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans currently in America, they would probably tell you that long-term service at sea is not for everyone.”
Cooper’s visit and statement follow reports of widespread morale and mental health problems aboard the USS Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than eight months. The Navy Times reported last week that several sailors had tried to leave the ship, and Stars and Stripes also reported on widespread mental health issues.
Cooper, America’s top commander in the war against Iran, said his visit to the ship was “awe-inspiring” and praised the crew for “increasing efforts to make mental health and crew resiliency a leadership priority.”
But President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have sought to downplay reports of low morale aboard the Lincoln.
On Friday, President Trump was asked by reporters whether Lincoln had been deployed too long, and he answered, “No, no, no,” adding, “Not long enough.” The president also said Lincoln would soon be replaced by another airline in the region.
Hegseth said the report was “completely misrepresented.”
The USS George Washington is currently heading to the Middle East and is expected to take Lincoln’s place, MS Now reported.
Meanwhile, members of Congress have questioned and criticized the Pentagon about the conditions aboard the Lincoln.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D.Y.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, said in a statement Saturday that “we must be held accountable for the reportedly deteriorating conditions endured by service members engaged in a reckless war that began with no justification, no strategy, and no end in sight.”
“I demand hearings, accountability, and a clear plan to protect our service members and prioritize American families,” she said.
