US Senate Minority Leader Calls for Defense Secretary Hegseth's Removal

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) (Wikimedia Commons U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Clint Davis)

JAKARTA - The leader of the United States Senate Minority from the Democratic Party, Chuck Schumer, on Thursday called for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be fired following reports on the difficult conditions faced by sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier.

"When Pete Hegseth was nominated, everyone knew that he was completely incompetent," Schumer said in a post on the US social media platform, X, launching Anadolu (14/8).

"Now, our brave sailors must suffer the consequences in a horrific and unimaginable way. Pete Hegseth must be immediately fired," he added.

The statement comes after reports of increasing pressure on sailors due to months-long assignments at sea, repeated extensions of duty, and ongoing operations in the war against Iran.

At least two sailors were reportedly prevented from jumping into the sea, while another one had entered the water before being rescued.

The crew members were also reported to face shortages of basic supplies, sanitation problems, mail delivery disruptions, and strict food rationing during the extended assignment.

Defense Secretary Hegseth denied the sailors' account, saying the picture of conditions on the aircraft carrier had been "completely misrepresented."

Separately, the USS George Washington (CVN-73) aircraft carrier based in the Pacific has begun moving towards the Middle East, according to a Navy statement and open source information on the ship's movements, as reported by Al Arabiya from The Associated Press.

The move comes amid reports of mental health issues and supply aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), which has been on a long deployment in the Middle East to support the war in Iran, including a record-breaking time of sailing nonstop for more than 240 days.

According to a Navy statement, the USS George Washington departed from a port in Da Nang, Vietnam, last week. The aircraft carrier, along with a cruiser and destroyer, was then seen crossing the Singapore Strait.