US President Donald Trump has dismissed reports of food shortages and deteriorating living conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, calling the coverage “fake news” and claiming the aircraft carrier is “beautifully maintained”.
Speaking at the White House on Monday (Aug 17), Trump criticised CNN reporter Kristen Holmes after she raised reports about conditions aboard the carrier, which has been deployed in the Strait of Hormuz for more than 250 days.
Trump said he had received what he described as third-hand information from a retired admiral, who allegedly told him that the Lincoln was being “beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of”.
“The Lincoln has been out there for a period of time, a good period of time, but over the years, we’ve had them out there much longer,” Trump said, referring to his conversation with the unnamed former admiral.
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He added that “other people” had also found the claims about the carrier’s condition to be true, but did not identify those individuals. Trump accused CNN of publishing “fake news reporting” and told Holmes to “be quiet” during the exchange.
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The USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, left San Diego on November 21, 2025. It has now spent more than 250 days at sea without making a port call, setting a modern record for the longest such deployment.

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