USS Abraham Lincoln to be replaced amid growing concerns for troops

WASHINGTON - A United States Navy aircraft carrier is set to be dispatched to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, amid growing concerns around crew morale and conditions on the vessel after over 260 days at sea.

The U.S. is sending the USS George Washington to the Middle East, after it departed Vietnam earlier this week.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Navy for further comment via email Thursday afternoon.

The Lincoln crew was deployed in November 2025, before being redirected to the Middle East to assist in Operation Epic Fury—the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran which began in February.

The vessel has made very few port calls, and in recent days reports have surfaced of poor conditions and declining mental well-being among crew members, including attempts to jump overboard, with lawmakers calling for action and an investigation into what has taken place on the vessel.

In a statement to Newsweek Wednesday, the Navy said that it takes the health and well-being of its personnel seriously.

"Based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship," a spokesperson said. "We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise."

Why is it important?

Unlike most U.S. carriers, George Washington is permanently assigned to the Pacific region and serves as the Navy's forward-deployed carrier associated with the 7th Fleet. The Navy describes it as a symbol of the U.S. commitment to maintaining a "free and open Indo-Pacific."

That means if the ship moves toward the Middle East to relieve Abraham Lincoln, it would represent a notable shift of U.S. naval firepower from Asia to another theater at a time when Washington is trying to balance concerns about China, North Korea, Iran and regional conflicts simultaneously.

The deployment could leave the Pacific without a U.S. aircraft carrier for an undetermined period.

What is the USS George Washington?

The USS George Washington is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier commissioned in 1992. It is more than 1,000 feet long and can carry around 90 aircraft, including fighter jets, electronic warfare aircraft, helicopters, and airborne early warning planes. Its two nuclear reactors allow it to operate for years without refueling. (Source: Newsweek)