USS George Washington arrives in Middle East as USS Abraham Lincoln prepares to sail home – report

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East on Thursday, as the USS Abraham Lincoln began its journey back to the US, according to US Central Command and The New York Times. This deployment change follows US Senator Richard Blumenthal's demand for an inquiry into conditions aboard the Lincoln, citing reports of low morale, suicide attempts, supply shortages, and water contamination. CENTCOM refuted claims of sailors attempting to jump off the Lincoln, stating, "USS Abraham Lincoln has maintained among the highest crew reenlistment rates (84.4%) of all aircraft carriers in the US Navy." They also condemned "rampant misreporting" as a disservice to the crew, highlighting the sailors' resilience after over 260 days at sea.