Eight suicide attempts reported on aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during extended Middle East deployment

The mental health of the American soldiers mobilized against Iran by Donald Trump is worrying. The United States has admitted to eight suicide attempts during the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln's exceptionally long Middle East deployment.

An emotional support dog on board

In a letter sent by Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao in response to questions from Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, consulted Wednesday by AFP, the Trump government writes that "since the start of the Lincoln's deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts" among the crew of the aircraft carrier, as well as all of the planes and ships that accompany it. “There was no suicide on board during this deployment,” he emphasizes.

“A sailor […] went overboard at the beginning of August” and “was quickly rescued […] and taken off the ship for additional care”, specifies the minister. Another sailor “attempted to throw himself overboard in March” but “was prevented by his comrades” and “returned to his home port.”

Asked about the resources made available to military personnel on board, the minister lists, among others, “five chaplains, a psychologist, a social worker and an emotional support dog”.

Alerts brushed aside by Trump

The very long-term deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has lasted more than ten months. The ship and its thousands of sailors left San Diego on November 21, 2025 for a mission in the South China Sea before being redirected to the Middle East in support of the joint offensive of the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. He ended up making a stopover in Thailand at the beginning of September after 286 days at sea.

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