Eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier or ships accompanying it on its nine-month deployment to the Middle East tried to commit suicide, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed this week.
In a Tuesday letter to Sen. Kirsten Gilibrand (D-NY) first reported by CNN, Cao said that one sailor “went overboard” from the Lincoln in early August and had to be rescued by helicopter.
A second sailor attempted to go overboard in March but was stopped by their shipmates. The acting secretary noted that none of the suicide attempts succeeded.
The Lincoln strike group, which also includes a guided missile cruiser and multiple destroyers, began a scheduled seven-month deployment in the South China Sea in November 2025, but was redirected to the Arabian Sea in January, shortly before the start of Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
It remained there until late August, when it was relieved by the USS George Washington and began making its way back to the US.
In a statement to CNN, Gilibrand attacked President Trump, who had dismissed concerns raised in mid-August about conditions aboard the Lincoln, as well as War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect,” the senator said. “That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms and billionaires but cannot take care of our service members is completely unacceptable.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
