WASHINGTON — Families of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are condemning President Trump's comments on the ship's record deployment.
A U.S. defense official not authorized to speak publicly told NPR the USS George Washington is en route to relieve the USS Lincoln, which has been at sea for nearly nine months
Trump was asked by reporters Friday whether the USS Lincoln's deployment had gone on too long.
"No, not nearly long enough," Trump said.
His comments come amid reports of food shortages, plumbing problems and declining mental health among crew members. There have even been some reports – which NPR has not been able to independently confirm – that sailors have attempted to jump overboard.
Karen Bramlett's grandson is on the ship. She asked NPR not to use his name for fears he could face repercussions or harassment from the military.
Bramlett said she is able to communicate with her grandson via Instagram about once a week.
"He's saying he's good mentally and physically, thank God," Bramlett said. "But he's just depressed. With the conditions over there you really can't blame him."
Bramlett said her grandson enlisted in the Navy about two years ago. She said it was a dream for him.
"But now he's like, he just can't wait to be done," Bramlett said. "Those dreams have been shattered."
"Donald Trump needs to be ashamed of himself to let them suffer the way that they're doing," she continued. "They're over there fighting for our country. And this is the thanks they get? They can't even get help from him or his administration."
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Chao said in a statement Friday that the USS Lincoln's mission was extended because the conflict with Iran demanded it.
"It is also true— a small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life," Cao said. "Meal plans were adjusted when fresh resupply was unavailable, without a single meal being missed. Calls home were limited when the operational threat was too high."
Cao said those aboard the USS Lincoln are the "epitome of American strength and resilience."
"There is no question our young men and women have been pushed to their limits—but they have never broken," Cao said. "They are rightly tired—but have never been out of the fight."
Democrats demand investigation
Democrats are calling for the Pentagon to investigate and take accountability over the conditions.
Speaking to NPR's Morning Edition Friday, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) accused the Trump administration of not having a plan.
"They're just kind of winging it right now," he said, adding he felt that the Pentagon's handling of the deployment itself was "not proper leadership."
Gallego also said he had spoken to some of the crew aboard the ship.
"We are able to talk to a lot of these sailors," Gallego said. "We are able to talk to their spouses. And this is why I think it's important they allow us a bipartisan group of members of the House and the Senate to go and visit these sailors - something that has happened before - to make sure that we know that they're doing well and that the secretary of defense is not lying to us."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said media reports about the conditions on the ship are "misrepresented" and said the U.S. can indefinitely maintain a naval blockade on Iran.
Speaking to NPR's All Things Considered, Julie Roland, a former Navy helicopter pilot, said there needs to be care given to the roughly 5,000 sailors returning to the U.S. from the USS Lincoln.
"I don't think anybody wants to be stuck in their office for 200 days without being able to see their friends or family no matter how good your job is," Roland said. "Some people do really struggle with the mental health of just transitioning from life on board to coming back home. When they return, we have to embrace them and take care of whatever might be the residual effects of having gone through this."
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