Pete Hegseth responds to reports of food shortages aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected reports of food shortages and worsening mental health aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent more than 200 days deployed at sea.

The aircraft carrier was redirected to the Middle East to support US military operations involving Iran.

Navy Times and Stars and Stripes have reported multiple attempts by sailors to jump overboard amid concerns about conditions and mental health.

Hegseth told reporters in Panama that reports about the ship had been “completely misrepresented”.

“We make sure ⁠every ship, every crew, every ‌captain has everything ‌we can provide ‌them at every single moment,” Hegseth said.

“Some deployments are longer than others, and I have ‌more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody. What they do in those high seas in ⁠those austere conditions with less port calls – it’s incredible.”

Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee have now asked Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao for information about conditions aboard the vessel.

Senator Richard Blumenthal cited reports of “shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system”.

The Lincoln has reportedly gone more than 200 days without a port call, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.