The fiasco surrounding the UDSS Abraham Lincoln has seen President Donald Trump’s disrespect for the military reach new lows, and according to a report from The New Republic, some troops have finally had enough and are letting their disgust be known.
Alternet reports that in recent weeks, reports have emerged revealing the alarming conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, a vessel that has been stationed in the Middle East since November and is nearing the record for the longest ever deployment, set back in the Vietnam War. Aboard the ship, troops and officers are reportedly dealing with worsening food and resource shortages, as well as deteriorating physical conditions, with some areas becoming infested with mould. Driven to extreme desperation, some troops have also reportedly attempted to jump overboard to escape the conditions onboard.
When pressed about these stories, Trump and his officials have largely been dismissive. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the conditions on the Abraham Lincoln were an old story, and claimed that they have already been addressed. Trump, meanwhile, said that the reports were a “fake CNN story.” He also insisted that the Abraham Lincoln had not been deployed long enough when asked if its deployment had gone on too long.
In a Saturday piece for The New Republic, deputy editor Jason Links connected this latest disrespect towards the military to other emerging reports about troops leaving “anonymous graffiti” messages ripping the ongoing Iran war, written into the dust and left on an aircraft wing flap. Among the messages left were “Operation Epstein Fury,” “Peace deal #64 incoming … ALL THIS FOR THE HOLY LAND,” and other insults implying Trump’s subservience to Israeli leaders.
