The USS George Washington has arrived in the Middle East, a move that comes just as public outcry grows over conditions faced by crew members aboard its sister carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln.
US Central Command said Thursday that the George Washington reached the Arabian Sea on Wednesday as part of what it called a scheduled deployment. The carrier had previously been stationed in the Western Pacific, and its move leaves the US without a single aircraft carrier in that region, despite Washington’s long standing focus on the area as a strategic priority.
The shift comes after the Navy announced last week that the Lincoln would be rotated back home to the US. That carrier left its port in San Diego back in November and was originally deployed off the coast of Venezuela before being redirected once the US and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28.
A record breaking, troubled deployment
The Lincoln’s deployment has now set a US naval record for the longest stretch at sea without a single port stop. That fact alone drew renewed scrutiny last week, following reports of scarce food and hygiene supplies aboard the ship, along with maintenance problems tied to the extended time at sea.
Families of the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines serving aboard the Lincoln have also spoken out about the toll the deployment has taken on mental health, including several accounts shared with US media describing crew members attempting to jump overboard.
Several Democratic lawmakers have argued the situation reflects poor planning by the Trump administration when it comes to the broader war effort, which has dragged on for nearly six months and turned into a grinding, asymmetrical conflict with no clear resolution in sight.
Iran, the strait, and stalled diplomacy
Fighting has eased recently, but Iran continues to insist it will assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. The US, meanwhile, says it has made progress increasing shipping traffic through that critical trade route and claims it can maintain its blockade on Iranian ports indefinitely.
Trump and senior Pentagon officials have largely brushed aside reports about conditions aboard the Lincoln, describing them as misleading. There is currently no indication that talks between the US and Iran will resume anytime soon. An earlier Memorandum of Understanding meant to pave the way toward a lasting end to the war expired on Monday.
Trump announces new economic pressure campaign
On Thursday, Trump unveiled what he called a crushing economic operation targeting Iran, a country that has already faced years of US and Western sanctions. He warned that any nation doing business with Iran would face tremendous economic consequences, describing the effort as an economic D-Day. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, dismissed the announcement as a distraction.