Conflict & Security
USS George Washington reaches Middle East to relieve Lincoln
The George Washington Carrier Strike Group has arrived in the Middle East during a scheduled deployment, US Central Command said Thursday, as it prepares to relieve the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.
CENTCOM, which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said on X that the group was operating in its theater after arriving on Wednesday.
The arrival follows media reports about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed since November 2025. Several outlets, including specialist military publications, quoted relatives of crew members as saying living conditions had deteriorated, with food shortages and broken plumbing. There have also been reports of several suicide attempts.
President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns but confirmed that another carrier would swap out with the Lincoln.
The Japan-based USS George Washington had been operating in the Pacific before the transfer. The Lincoln left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February.
Update
The George Washington Carrier Strike Group arrived after reports of poor conditions aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.
Several outlets quoted relatives of Lincoln crew members as describing food shortages, broken plumbing and several reported suicide attempts.
President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns but confirmed another carrier would swap out with the Lincoln.
The USS George Washington had been operating in the Pacific before its transfer.
The USS Abraham Lincoln left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 15:07:50 UTC.
Update
The arriving force is the George Washington Carrier Strike Group.
CENTCOM said the group was operating in the Middle East during a scheduled deployment.
CENTCOM said the group arrived in its theater the previous day.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 August 2026 at 14:21:37 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The reported conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and the reported suicide attempts are based on media reports and relatives' accounts, not independently established in the supplied material.
The exact timing of the Lincoln's relief by the George Washington is not specified.
Source
AFP news report published on .