Eight sailors assigned to USS Lincoln attempted suicide, Navy Secretary tells Congress

The letter came in response to a letter from New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who called attention to the conditions aboard the aircraft carrier in August. 

Eight US Navy personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its record-breaking deployment, which included its participation in the Iran war, according to a letter from Active Navy Secretary Hung Cao obtained by multiple US media outlets on Wednesday.  

Cao noted that the number is of attempts among the crew on the USS Abraham Lincoln itself, sailors from its carrier air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons, a total of between 6,000 and 7,000 service members. 

One US military official told CNN that the number of attempted suicides was "incredibly high."

“The strain of combat ops is much higher than normal deployments. No port calls, constant alerts, etc.,” the official said.

However, CNN wrote that the rate of suicide attempts was roughly consistent with that of the entire active-duty Navy in 2024, the most recent year for which the data is available.

The letter emphasized that no service members had killed themselves during the deployment of the strike group.

Cao also said that mental health resources were present on board the Lincoln, including "five chaplains, one embedded integrated prevention counselor, one psychologist, one clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians, and one expeditionary facility dog," according to Newsweek. 

US denies claims of low morale among Lincoln's crew

The letter came in response to a letter from New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who called attention to the conditions aboard the aircraft carrier in August.

Since then, reports have emerged of declining mental health and morale among the Lincoln's crew, which US President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Central Command Commander Brad Cooper all denied. 

The Lincoln has since been replaced by the USS George Washington and is on its way home to the US.