# Navy Confirms 8 Suicide Attempts After Trump Dismissed Crisis Reports

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/navy-confirms-8-suicide-attempts-after-trump-dismissed-crisis-reports
- Published: 2026-09-24T01:14:57.719305+00:00
- Topics: military, mental-health, navy, trump-administration, iran-war

## What the left says
- The nine-month, 286-day deployment stretched sailors well beyond their expected return date, and Trump publicly dismissed early reports of deteriorating conditions as 'fake news' rather than investigating them.
- Families and military newspapers raised alarms for months about mold, food shortages, broken plumbing, and mental health decline before the Navy acknowledged any of it, showing a pattern of downplaying service members' suffering.
- Senator Gillibrand's persistent questioning was necessary to force transparency from the Pentagon, and the administration's credibility is damaged by having called legitimate concerns fake before admitting eight suicide attempts occurred.
- Prioritizing military spending on bombs and other projects while service members endure grueling, under-supported deployments reflects a misplaced set of priorities toward the people actually serving.

## What the right says
- The Navy's letter shows sailors had consistent access to five chaplains and multiple mental health professionals throughout the deployment, demonstrating that support systems were in place despite difficult conditions.
- The extended deployment happened because of an active, unresolved war with Iran, meaning the strike group's prolonged time at sea reflects operational necessity rather than institutional neglect.
- Acting Navy Secretary Cao pushed back on exaggerated claims about the ship's conditions, confirming that reported food and plumbing issues were temporary and limited rather than a widespread crisis.
- No sailors died by suicide during the deployment, and the Navy's willingness to disclose the eight-attempt figure directly to a senator's inquiry reflects transparency rather than concealment.

## Common ground
- Eight suicide attempts occurred across the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group during its deployment, with no deaths reported.
- The deployment lasted an unusually long time, over 250 uninterrupted days at sea, tied to U.S. military operations against Iran.
- Conditions aboard the ship included some verified problems, including temporary piping failures, reduced meal options, and desalination unit issues.
- Service members' mental health and wellbeing during lengthy deployments is a serious concern that warrants continued oversight and support.

## Sources
- [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr3wj0px283xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) (Center)
- [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/navy-8-suicide-attempts-uss-lincoln-carrier-group-iran-war/) (Lean Left)
- [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/video/8-attempted-suicides-by-sailors-in-uss-lincoln-strike-group-during-deployment-navy-letter-says/) (Lean Left)
- [Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-accused-disrespect-navy-admits-uss-lincoln-suicide-attempts-12480936) (Lean Right)
- [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/us/politics/uss-lincoln-attempted-suicides.html) (Lean Left)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/23/uss-lincoln-suicide-attempts) (Left)
- [The Guardian US](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/sep/23/donald-trump-xi-jinping-ai-china-us-politics-latest-news-updates) (Left)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/6107676-navy-secretary-letter-uss-lincoln/) (Center)

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