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Trump demands threaten Navy’s progress

The president’s interest in the service has brought it more attention but could also be its downfall.

By Paul McLeary and Leo Shane III, 08/14/2026 05:00 PM EDT

Donald Trump’s demands on the Navy reached full tilt this month, threatening to weaken a service already under considerable financial and logistical strain.

Family of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier deployment warned the crew was near breaking after a record nine months at sea. A government report said Trump’s “Golden Fleet” of new battleships would cost billions more than anticipated. And experts decried a presidential order to restore old tech that could upend ship production.

The issues are now compounding each other. This puts enormous pressure on a service that has struggled with yearslong delays, embarrassing cost overruns and a shrinking fleet — all of which could threaten the Navy’s ability to defend the country.

“We have ships pushing their limits in the Middle East and the Caribbean with no end in sight,” said a U.S. official. “The Navy is really coming under the gun now.”

The most headline-grabbing incident occurred this week when the Lincoln passed its 260th day at sea without a port visit. This breaks a record of 204 days set by another ship during the coronavirus pandemic. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced Friday that the Lincoln would return to port.

Crew members have reportedly tried to jump overboard, families are frustrated and lawmakers are worried about the overall health of the fleet and its sailors. This has also made it a symbol of the Trump administration’s flailing progress with the Iran war.

Trump and Hegseth “both owe these sailors and their families an apology,” said Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, the Senate Democrats’ top defense appropriator. “If they can’t take care of the troops under their watch, they should step aside for leaders who can.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday played down those concerns, saying “some deployments are longer than others.”

Trump, when asked Friday about whether the deployment had gone on too long, responded, “no no no. Not nearly long enough.”

Some in the chain of command appeared more overtly concerned. Cao and a group of top Navy brass met with families of Lincoln sailors this week to hear concerns. Cao, in announcing the carrier’s return, noted a few mental health cases and limited calls home due to operational threats.

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