Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chair contradicts Trump’s dismissal of the USS Abraham Lincoln crisis: ‘Those deployments are very, very difficult’

Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Admiral Mike Mullen has pushed back against President Donald Trump’s dismissal of concerns surrounding the USS Abraham Lincoln’s record-breaking deployment, warning that prolonged time at sea can damage morale and can cost future military readiness. Speaking on ABC News’ This Week on Sunday, August 16, Mullen said the aircraft carrier’s extended deployment is “significant” and “tough,” while emphasizing that sailors historically have relied on regular port calls to rest and maintain equipment. His comments came days after Trump said the deployment was “not nearly long enough” and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reports about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier had been “completely misrepresented.”

‘Those deployments are very, very difficult’

Mullen, who served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011, said long deployments are fundamentally difficult even when crews remain focused on their missions. “It’s significant, and it’s tough. Those deployments are very, very difficult. … Historically, we’ve been able to typically go to a port to take a break, do maintenance, and then come back online. Even back in Vietnam, a timeframe we did that,” he said.

Asked about Trump’s comments, Mullen acknowledged the military’s increased focus on mental health over the past two decades. “We focused on mental health for the last 20, 25 years coming through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — and all the services have done that. And there are always challenges with that. Even in some of the most benign environments. So I’m sure that the chain of command has addressed that issue.”

However, he also warned that extending deployments can create longer-term consequences. “The deployments, we learned in Vietnam, we deployed for a year at a time there. That’s just too long. You wear yourself out. You actually start to cash in future readiness significantly.” He added that sailors, ships and their families need time to recover and prepare for future missions, saying, “So there’s a sacrifice of the future, which we’re eating now as well, particularly with the capability that we’ve got.”

Reports describe concerning conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln

The USS Abraham Lincoln left San Diego in November 2025 and was subsequently redirected to the Middle East for U.S. operations against Iran. Its deployment has now stretched beyond 260 days, with more than 200 consecutive days without a port call, according to recent reports. Families and lawmakers have reported shortages of basic hygiene products, mold and mildew, broken toilets, inconsistent hot water, food concerns and deteriorating morale. Reports from several military news outlets have also described alleged attempts by sailors to go overboard. According to reports, one sailor went overboard on August 3 but was rescued within an hour, medically evaluated and transferred from the ship for follow-up care.

Mullen said the reports deserve attention, saying,  “From what I could see in the news reports, the conditions on the ship were certainly of great concern.” He added that he had spoken with Admirals Samuel Paparo and Brad Cooper after their visits to the aircraft carrier. He said leadership had worked to address earlier problems and that “the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.”

“These are morale issues on a ship, which you really have to focus on,” he said. He then praised the crew’s commitment, saying, “And my experiences, these crews will do absolutely everything to make sure the mission goes well. And they clearly have done that on Lincoln.”

Donald Trump and the Pentagon reject criticism

Trump addressed the controversy on Friday, August 14, dismissing concerns raised by families about food and hygiene aboard the aircraft carrier. “No, they’re not [concerned],” Trump said when asked about worried family members of those aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Asked whether the deployment had gone on too long, he responded, “No, no, no. Not nearly long enough.”

The remarks drew criticism from Ashley Rogers, the wife of an officer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. “I think that if either one of those people took the time to listen to the family members or the sailors on that ship, or the Marines that are stationed on that ship, they would absolutely hear a different story,” she said. “I don’t think that we can lie our way out of what is so glaringly obvious with this ship and that when you put somebody to sea for 260-plus days without a day off, and you extend that deployment and don’t give an end date, the mental health is going to suffer.”

Hegseth rejected similar reports on Thursday, August 13, saying the conditions had been “completely misrepresented.” The Pentagon and the Navy have maintained that sailors have access to medical and mental-health support and said they have not identified an increase in reported attempts by sailors to kill themselves.

Navy leadership and the Trump administration say the crew remains resilient

The Trump administration has continued to defend sailors’ performance and portrayed them as being resilient despite the prolonged deployment. DOD Deputy Press Secretary Jacob Bliss said on X, “The Fake News media should STOP exploiting military families! Their misrepresentations are designed to create crisis theater, not inform the public. Our Sailors are proud of their historic mission at sea and so are the American people.”

DOD Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said mental-health cases had been handled without loss of life, while meal plans were adjusted when fresh supplies were unavailable and calls home were restricted when operational threats were “too high.”

“Our sailors on the USS Lincoln are victors, not victims! Cheap shots by the media to misrepresent their historic mission are disgraceful,” Wilson said.

Cooper, who recently visited the aircraft carrier, called his experience “awe-inspiring.”

“I wish every American could see the crew in action,” he wrote. “You would beam with absolute pride when witnessing their camaraderie, teamwork and resilience. Here’s an important fact: Of the U.S. Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health.”

Lawmakers sound the alarm

Meanwhile, lawmakers like Democratic Representatives Mike Levin and Seth Moulton and Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ruben Gallego have demanded greater scrutiny. Levin told Trump, “Respectfully, Mr. President, I’d like to see you survive a week on that ship,” while Moulton called the reports “horrific.”

Republican Rep. Don Bacon said prolonged deployments are “excruciatingly difficult” for service members and their families, while thanking the USS Abraham Lincoln’s sailors for their service. “Long deployments are hard on the service members and their families. I remember our soldiers doing 18-month tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it was excruciatingly difficult,” he told Newsweek. “I thank the sailors for their service and clearly their sacrifice. Our aircraft carriers are indispensable to our national security and to countering Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Navy is sending the USS George Washington, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. The aircraft carrier had completed a port visit in Vietnam on August 5 and was already scheduled for the deployment.