Arizona’s Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly has called for an investigation into conditions on the USS Lincoln, a Navy aircraft carrier that’s been supporting the United States in its war with Iran.
Kelly joins other Congressional lawmakers in requesting more oversight, following reports of mental health and supply issues, as the ship has been deployed for a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.
"They got deployed to go to war without a strategic goal, without a plan, without a timeline. Now they’re stuck and the administration can’t figure a way out and the consequence of this is just poor mental health and crew members jumping overboard," Kelly said.
President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have denied those allegations.
Trump downplayed reports about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Trump said a retired, unnamed, admiral assured him that the Lincoln is “beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of.”
The Navy is moving to replace the Lincoln with another aircraft carrier, the USS Washington.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
Republican state lawmakers want the state’s water agency to keep them apprised of all Colorado River negotiations, indicating that the governor is getting more updates than them. -
Leaders with the Central Arizona Project opened the door to potential lawsuits over the federal management of Colorado River water. -
New federal court filings reveal that efforts to build an ICE detention center in Surprise are progressing slowly, and the Department of Homeland Security has indicated there is no rush to open the facility. -
Cataloging information from the Confluence may also be used to potentially deter future commercial development by industries like hydropower — while the Trump administration is eyeing energy projects on tribal lands. -
The boy’s death and the pay-to-play allegations highlight questions about Arizona's congregate-care capacity for children, training for workers who care for them and oversight of providers and other contractors who hold leverage over the state simply due to their size and influence.
