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USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego after extended Middle East deployment
En breve
The USS Abraham Lincoln is coming home to San Diego after an extended deployment to the Middle East supporting operations against Iran, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcoming the crew. The deployment drew congressional and family scrutiny over reports of crew stress, food and hygiene shortages, and poor living conditions. Outlets give differing figures for how long the carrier was at sea, ranging from more than 260 days to over 300 days.
Leer la noticia completa 2 min de lectura
The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to its home port in San Diego after an extended deployment to the Middle East, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcoming the crew on Wednesday, according to the Pentagon. The Navy said the aircraft carrier comes home to California on Thursday. Hegseth will speak with the ship's crew, take part in physical training and eat lunch with the service members, The Hill and Newsweek reported, citing the Defense Department. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The carrier left San Diego in November 2025 — on November 21, according to Newsweek — originally for a standard deployment in the Indo-Pacific, before being rerouted to the Middle East in January, where it supported operations as the U.S. conflict with Iran got underway. [ 2 , 4 ]
The documents differ on how long the ship was at sea. The Hill said the carrier spent more than 280 days without a port call, PBS NewsHour described a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 260 days, and Newsweek said over 300 days at sea. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The deployment drew scrutiny over conditions on board. Reports emerged of crew stress and poor mental health and of shortages of food and hygiene products. Rep. Sara Jacobs, who visited the carrier as part of a bipartisan delegation, said she spoke to sailors and Marines who shared stories of “their struggles to wash clothes, get medicine and health care, and eat enough food.” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, that eight sailors assigned to the carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment, which included military operations against Iran, The Hill reported. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Administration officials defended the conditions on board. Hegseth said in August, “Listen, we make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment,” adding that “some deployments are longer than others” and that he has “more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody.” President Donald Trump downplayed the reports, saying in August that the sailors endured a “good period of time” but that “over the years, we’ve had them out there much longer.” [ 1 , 2 ]
Family members also weighed in. Jefferson Kelley, whose son serves on the Lincoln, said in a statement that he was thrilled the sailors were returning home. He called the deployment “unprecedented” and said media pressure would be the only way to get answers on what service members went through, adding that families of those in the operation should keep up that pressure. [ 4 ]
Por qué importa
The return closes a deployment that became a public test of how the Pentagon handles extended carrier rotations and crew welfare, with congressional oversight and family advocacy driving the scrutiny. The documents show the episode feeding a wider political argument over the Iran conflict and administration accountability that both Democratic lawmakers and family members say will continue.
Datos clave
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will welcome the USS Abraham Lincoln crew in San Diego, speaking with sailors, taking part in physical training and eating lunch with them, according to the Pentagon. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Navy said the aircraft carrier returns to its California home port on Thursday. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The carrier left San Diego in November 2025, was originally assigned to the Indo-Pacific and was rerouted to the Middle East in January, where it supported operations in the U.S. conflict with Iran. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Reports emerged of crew stress, poor mental health, and shortages of food and hygiene products on board. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Rep. Sara Jacobs said she visited the ship and spoke with sailors and Marines who described struggles to wash clothes, get medicine and health care, and eat enough food. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that eight sailors assigned to the carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment. [ 1 ]
- President Donald Trump downplayed the reports, saying in August that the sailors endured a “good period of time” but that “over the years, we’ve had them out there much longer.” [ 2 ]
- Jefferson Kelley, whose son serves on the Lincoln, said he was thrilled the sailors were returning and called for continued media pressure for accountability. [ 4 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Pete Hegseth will welcome the USS Abraham Lincoln crew in San Diego, where he will speak with sailors and eat lunch with them, the Pentagon said. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to its home port in California on Thursday. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The carrier's deployment was extended to the Middle East, where it supported operations tied to the U.S. conflict with Iran. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Reports of crew stress, mental health problems and shortages of food and hygiene products on board prompted scrutiny of conditions during the deployment. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- How long the carrier spent at sea on this deployment. The Hill said more than 280 days without a port call, PBS NewsHour said a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 260 days, and Newsweek said over 300 days at sea.
- Eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment. This figure appears in only one document, which attributes it to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao in testimony to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
- Whether the crew is welcomed home on Wednesday or returns to its home port on Thursday. The Hill and Newsweek say Hegseth welcomes the crew Wednesday, while PBS NewsHour and Newsweek say the ship returns to its California home port Thursday.
- The scope of the operation referred to as “Operation Epstein Fury.” The name appears only in a quoted statement in one document, with no further description.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- The Hill reports that Hegseth will travel to San Diego on Tuesday and welcome the USS Abraham Lincoln crew home on Wednesday after its extended Middle East deployment. [ 1 ]
- PBS NewsHour reports that the USS Abraham Lincoln returns home to California on Thursday, following a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 260 days. [ 2 ]
- The Hill reports Hegseth is set to deliver remarks Wednesday afternoon in San Diego as the carrier returns after more than 280 days without a port call. [ 3 ]
- Newsweek reports Hegseth will welcome the crew back to the United States on Wednesday, after over 300 days at sea, before the ship reaches its home port Thursday. [ 4 ]