Eight sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide.

Eight sailors across the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its deployment, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed in a letter to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. No sailors died by suicide during the deployment, Cao wrote.

• 8 suicide attempts spanned the carrier, its air wing, escorting destroyers, and squadron staffs.
• 6,000–7,000 sailors deployed across roughly a half dozen ships in the strike group.
• 356 suicide attempts occurred across the full active-duty Navy of ~337,000 sailors in 2024.
• Recent carrier strike group deployments have typically seen one or two attempts per year, one military official told CNN.

Why it matters: The Lincoln's deployment exceeded 260 days with no port calls, meaning sailors had no scheduled breaks ashore during sustained combat operations against Iran.

• One crew member told CNN morale was very low, citing frequent equipment outages and ongoing anxiety about the return date.

How 6 sources split on this story

Where they split: The disagreement is whether the administration adequately acknowledged and responded to deteriorating conditions aboard the ship.

What’s next: The Lincoln is expected to arrive at its San Diego home port in the coming weeks.

• Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon, the Navy, and the White House; none had responded by publication.
• Will Congress seek additional testimony or hold hearings on mental health conditions during extended combat deployments?
• How will the Navy assess whether its onboard mental health resources were sufficient for the length and intensity of this deployment?