Retired Maj. General Randy Manner on Friday accused President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth of “spewing lies” about the reportedly deplorable conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and its extended deployment in the Middle East.
Manner joined CNN following reports that U.S. military service members have tried to jump off the aircraft carrier amid an extended stay due to the Iran war.
Hegseth had claimed that the reports “misrepresented” the situation, and Trump had called the deployment “not nearly long enough.”
“I will tell you unequivocally that [in] all my 36 years of service, if any Navy chief or non-commissioned officer, or officer, or admiral, or general had ever said those kind of words, they would have been relieved within minutes, and I mean that literally,” Manner said about Trump.
He said, “It is totally inappropriate that the commander in chief of our military show continued disdain and disrespect for our military members and for their family. This is unacceptable, whether it’s talking about Gold Star mothers and fathers or … those young men and women.”
Several relatives of those aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln met with acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao last week to discuss their loved ones’ mental health, Stars and Stripes reported. One spouse said her husband texted her that “he hopes he doesn’t wake up tomorrow.”
The Military Times reported that several sailors have tried to jump from the ship. Hegseth told reporters Thursday that this was “misrepresented,” adding, “We make sure every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment.”
Manner spoke bluntly when asked if these refutations affect U.S. military readiness.
“Absolutely, positively, it negatively impacts morale,” the retired major general told host Erin Burnett. “I used to say that the president and the secretary of defense were spewing propaganda. Unfortunately, now they’re actually spewing lies.”
He said “any good” leader in charge would confirm, “We are deploying a team immediately to land on the USS Abraham Lincoln to assess the situation, and to ensure that we properly address the issues that are there, and we will bring media with us in all transparency.”
“This administration wants to say, ‘There’s nothing to see here. All the families are lying. There’s no issues on it,’” Manner continued Friday. “And that is absolutely not the case.”
The USS Abraham Lincoln left San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, eventually setting a record of 240 uninterrupted days at sea. The deployment was initially set to end in May until Trump launched his war on Iran, which has already cost at least 18 U.S. military service members their lives.
While the USS George Washington is now headed to the Middle East to relieve the embattled aircraft carrier, Trump was asked Friday if the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln has gone on too long — and stated boldly, “No, no, no. Not nearly long enough.”
Manner said Friday, “Think about if you had a son or a daughter on that ship.”