U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed as "fake news" a media report that living conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed long-term in the Strait of Hormuz, are deteriorating to the worst level.
On the 17th (local time), during a briefing in the Oval Office, when CNN's Kristen Holmes asked about conditions for sailors on the Lincoln, Trump said, "Be quiet," showing anger. Aiming at the reporter who continued the question, Trump said, "You are loud and shameless," and raised his voice, saying, "You are a fake reporter and you report fake news." At the same time, he dismissed as "all lies" the media reports that the environment inside the Lincoln had worsened.
At the event, Trump cited a conversation with an unnamed retired admiral and claimed the articles were false. Trump said, "The admiral said, 'The ships I served on were at sea much longer (than the Lincoln), and I know people on the Lincoln who say the ship is being kept beautifully and well maintained.'"
But many say the remarks are completely out of touch with actual operations. The nuclear-powered carrier Lincoln has remained at sea for more than 250 days since departing San Diego, California, on Nov. 21, 2025, breaking the modern U.S. Navy carrier operations record day after day.
Even Stars and Stripes and Navy Times, military outlets under the U.S. Department of Defense, reported that the situation on the Lincoln is serious. They said a shortage of drinking water on board, compounded by plumbing problems, is subjecting service members to extreme physical and mental stress. There are even rumors that some sailors, unable to bear the pain, tried to jump into the sea. As the situation worsened, lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party strongly urged the Ministry of National Defense to swiftly determine the facts and come up with countermeasures.
Families of Lincoln sailors, who sent their loved ones to the middle of a war zone in the Middle East, did not hide their anger at the words of the commander in chief. A sister of a Lincoln crew member, who requested anonymity, told the Guardian, "The United States was a country that emphasized respecting troops because they defend the nation at the cost of their lives," adding, "But now we are seeing a commander in chief and a defense secretary who dismiss the experiences of service members and call them liars," sharply criticizing the government's irresponsible stance.
A prolonged sea deployment stems from military tensions between the United States and Iran. With Iran-related tensions lingering, the U.S. Department of Defense has had little choice but to keep the Lincoln strike group, a key strike asset, in Middle Eastern waters. With the excessive extension of the deployment and leadership's denial of reality overlapping, concerns are growing about a major safety accident.