Pentagon Sends New Aircraft Carrier to Relieve USS Abraham Lincoln Following Attempted Suicides

Iran’s military has rejected the Trump administration’s claims that ships are freely passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying no one can pass without Iran’s permission. This comes as the Pentagon has announced it will send a new aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln amid reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the vessel. The USS George Washington is set to relieve the Lincoln, which has been deployed for over eight months. On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed reports in Stars and Stripes and the Military Times about a growing mental health crisis aboard the Lincoln, where sailors face moldy showers, backed-up plumbing and shortages of nutritious food, toiletries and other supplies. Despite Hegseth’s denials, a U.S. official confirmed that a sailor jumped overboard from the Lincoln in early August, saying the person was quickly rescued. The sailor had missed the birth of his daughter five months ago and reportedly complained to his higher-ups about mental health challenges before attempting suicide. On Thursday, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s top Democrat, Richard Blumenthal, demanded answers about problems aboard the Lincoln. www.democracynow.org