The USS Abraham Lincoln will return home to San Diego later today after a record-long deployment of 265 uninterrupted days at sea, during which it supported the war in Iran. Concerns have been raised regarding supply shortages and deteriorating mental health onboard, but US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to downplay these issues.

Defense Secretary's Remarks

In a statement yesterday, Hegseth condemned what he described as attempts by "a few folks in the media" to portray the Lincoln’s deployment as a symbol of dysfunction or low morale. He emphasized the resilience of the crew, stating:

“

"What makes the US military and the US Navy and all these sailors different is that you adapt and that you’re resilient and you overcome — you finish the mission nonetheless."

Hegseth visited the carrier on Wednesday to present the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive for significant achievements in combat. He noted that President Donald Trump had been tracking the crew's activities from the beginning and expressed pride in their execution of the mission.