The USS George Washington arrived in the Middle East this week, providing relief for the USS Abraham Lincoln after the carrier’s lengthy deployment came under scrutiny over reports involving supply shortages and sailors’ mental health while supporting the U.S. war against Iran.
The U.S. military confirmed Thursday that the George Washington entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Wednesday after coming from the U.S. Pacific Command.
The move leaves the United States without a carrier strike group in Asia.
The Japan-based George Washington now joins the USS George H.W. Bush in the Middle East, giving the U.S. two aircraft carriers in the region as the Navy enforces a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The George H.W. Bush is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
Meanwhile, the USS Abraham Lincoln is preparing to return to the United States following a record deployment that began in late November.
The Lincoln’s extended time at sea has attracted increased attention following news reports about shortages of food and hygiene products aboard the ship, as well as concerns about sailors’ mental health.
Those reports prompted Democratic lawmakers to demand answers from the Navy and Pentagon about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, however, has pushed back on the reporting, saying conditions aboard the Lincoln were “completely misrepresented.”
U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Lincoln’s crew over the weekend and praised the sailors for their work during the deployment.
Cooper told the service members they had delivered a performance for the “ages, and now you are going home.”
The admiral also addressed reports about conditions aboard the Lincoln in an op-ed published Sunday in The Wall Street Journal.
“Recent media reporting has portrayed varying perspectives on operational tempo, crew morale and the realities facing our deployed forces,” Cooper wrote.
Cooper said what he personally encountered during his visit suggested that several of the problems described in the reports had already been dealt with.
“What I found aboard the Lincoln is that many elements of those stories are old news,” he wrote.
Cooper said he spoke directly with junior enlisted sailors and junior officers in small groups during his visit to the aircraft carrier.
“Issues related to food, hot water and other concerns raised months ago were addressed by leadership and resolved,” Cooper said.
The George Washington’s arrival marks the latest shift in the U.S. Navy’s carrier presence as American forces continue operations in the Middle East.
With the George Washington now joining the George H.W. Bush in the region, the Abraham Lincoln is set to conclude its lengthy deployment and head back to the United States after months supporting American military operations against Iran.
