Pritzker presses Pentagon for answers on extended USS Abraham Lincoln deployment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. JB Pritzker is pressing the Trump administration for answers about the conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, saying he is deeply concerned about the health and safety of the roughly 5,000 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier.

Pritzker questions deployment of USS Abraham Lincoln

What we know:

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Pritzker criticized what he called a lack of transparency surrounding the ship's deployment and questioned why its mission has been repeatedly extended without a clear end date.

The USS Abraham Lincoln deployed from San Diego in November with an expected return in May, according to Pritzker's letter. The governor said the ship has now been at sea for more than 250 days and has gone without a port call since December.

Pritzker cited reports from sailors' families alleging shortages of food and basic supplies, broken plumbing, unsanitary conditions and safety concerns aboard the ship. He also raised concerns about the crew's mental health, including reports of sailors attempting or threatening to go overboard.

What they're saying:

"I am greatly concerned about reports outlining deteriorating mental health, including multiple incidents in which sailors attempted or threatened to go overboard, alongside accounts from families describing exhaustion, acute distress, and difficulty accessing mental healthcare," Pritzker said.

The governor also criticized the administration for not providing information requested by Congress, including the number of Illinois residents currently serving aboard the carrier.

Pritzker asked Hegseth to provide answers to three questions:

1. How many Illinoisans are currently aboard the USS Lincoln?
2. What mental health services are being provided for service members aboard the ship? Will there be a full investigation of what went wrong during this deployment? Will that report be made public?
3. What were the original objectives of this mission and what has changed that justifies an indefinite deployment?

"The seriousness of these reports demands a thorough, transparent accounting of the conditions aboard the ship and immediate action to address any deficiencies identified," Pritzker said.