The USS George Washington is heading toward the Middle East as the Lincoln nears nine months on an extended deployment.
WASHINGTON, DC — The USS George Washington is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East as concerns grow over the mental health and living conditions of sailors aboard the long-deployed aircraft carrier, according to U.S. officials and multiple reports.
The planned rotation comes after the Lincoln spent more than 260 days deployed and more than 200 days without a port call, an unusually long stretch that has drawn questions from lawmakers and families of crew members. The carrier, which has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, left its San Diego home port in November and was later redirected to support U.S. military operations against Iran. Its deployment had originally been expected to end earlier this year.
President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that the Lincoln would soon be replaced but rejected suggestions that the carrier had remained deployed for too long. Asked whether the mission’s length was excessive, Trump said it was “not nearly long enough.” He added that the ship was moving, or would move shortly, and would be replaced by another similar carrier.
The replacement is expected to be the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that has been operating in the western Pacific. Its move toward the Middle East would temporarily remove a major U.S. carrier presence from that region as the Pentagon continues to commit naval forces to operations involving Iran. The rotation was planned before recent concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln became widely reported, according to published reports.
Families of Lincoln sailors and Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about reported shortages of food and personal supplies, plumbing problems, water issues, mail disruptions and worsening morale. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has sought answers from Pentagon officials about conditions on the carrier and the effects of the extended deployment on the crew. Blumenthal has said the ship’s prolonged time at sea also raises broader questions about readiness, maintenance and the Navy’s ability to sustain carrier operations while protecting service members’ well-being.
Reports about sailors going overboard have added to the scrutiny. A U.S. official confirmed that a person went overboard from the Lincoln in early August and was quickly rescued. Other reports, citing families of sailors, have described additional incidents or attempts involving crew members. The Navy has said it has not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the carrier based on information available to the command.
Navy officials have also said religious, medical and mental health professionals are available to sailors aboard the Lincoln, including counselors and chaplains. The service has acknowledged that extended deployments can put significant strain on military personnel and their families but has disputed some accounts of worsening conditions. Officials have said sailors continue to have access to clean water, working air conditioning and healthy meal options despite disruptions caused by the conflict.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed back strongly against reports portraying conditions aboard the Lincoln as deteriorating, saying the situation has been “completely misrepresented.” He said the military works to provide ships and their crews with needed resources throughout their missions and expressed support for the sailors carrying out the extended deployment.
Military veterans and researchers who study deployment stress have said the amount of uninterrupted time at sea is particularly significant. Aircraft carrier crews typically receive port visits during deployments, giving sailors opportunities to leave the ship, rest and resupply. The Lincoln’s prolonged stretch without a major port visit has come while its crew has also been operating in a combat environment, adding to concerns about fatigue and morale.
The shift also has consequences beyond the Lincoln’s crew. Moving the George Washington from the Pacific to the Middle East leaves the United States without one of its most visible naval assets in the western Pacific, at least temporarily. Defense analysts have said the change illustrates the strain that sustained Middle East operations can place on the Navy’s limited fleet of aircraft carriers. The Navy has 11 carriers, but only a portion can be deployed at any given time because others are undergoing maintenance, training or preparation.
The George Washington is expected to continue toward the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln, though officials have not publicly provided a precise date for the handover or the Lincoln’s return to San Diego. Questions about the health and living conditions of its crew are likely to remain under congressional scrutiny as the carrier completes its extended mission.
Author note: Last updated August 15, 2026.