The USS Abraham Lincoln is finally heading home, a relief after reports of appalling living conditions for its crew. But the ordeal endured by the 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard over the past nine months—and the continued dangers faced by troops still deployed in this unpopular conflict—paints a grim picture of how service members are treated under the current administration.
President Donald Trump has shown a hostility toward troops and veterans that is unprecedented in modern American history. His dismissive remark that those at sea for over 250 days haven't been deployed "nearly long enough"—echoed by House Republicans—reveals a callous disregard for military welfare. This should alarm every American.
A Deployment Marked by Neglect
The Lincoln's return is welcome, but the USS George Washington is already taking its place. How many more service members must suffer before we end this forever war? Veterans of Common Defense, including myself, are demanding a full-scale congressional investigation into this case. Over 4,000 of our members and their families agree: this must never happen again, and the war against Iran needs to end.
The conflict these carriers support has already claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and wounded roughly 500 more, alongside thousands of Iranian civilians. As an Iraq veteran, I know the true costs of war begin long before the first shot is fired. Diplomacy is what keeps the world safe—not bombs that pad shareholder value at the expense of service members and their families.
The Lincoln carries 5,000 souls, each with a life back home—little league games, school dances, college campuses, and full futures. Their oath reflects a rare commitment to a mission and a country they intend to serve. War is the price many military families pay, and veterans carry its scars long after they take off the uniform. It's time for this administration to uphold its end of the bargain.
Instead, the White House has gutted the Department of Veterans Affairs, sent troops to an illegal and unjust war, and used the military as a political prop. None of this improves the lives of troops or veterans. What would? Ending the war, investigating the Lincoln incident, expanding the VA, and ensuring military families can thrive.
As the Lincoln returns, it's worth remembering what most Americans already sense: war doesn't accomplish what makes life worth living. It doesn't keep your family safe, cover your healthcare, or protect the freedoms our Constitution promises. That's why most Americans oppose the war with Iran, yet we're all paying for it—in a cost of living at historic highs, in gas prices, and in the roughly $1,000 per household experts say Trump's decision to go to war has cost us.
Hawks in his party will argue this is about spreading freedom and containing Iran. But ask them: if a foreign adversary starved its own troops, kept them at sea for nearly a year, and left them in cramped showers and broken toilets, how would Washington react? They'd be first in line demanding intervention. What our service members experienced on the Lincoln is abysmal and should infuriate every American whose tax dollars fund this war.
This was a choice made by Trump's hostile administration, enabled by congressional allies. Lawmakers must demand a full investigation into what happened aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, so it never happens again. Veterans and military families see clearly how failed leaders put our troops in danger. We demand an investigation now—and we won't stop until this country ends its forever wars.
For more on the broader implications of this deployment, see our analysis on the carrier shortage straining Indo-Pacific deterrence and the congressional clash over Iran war costs.
