As USS Lincoln Returns Home, Duckworth Renews Her Call for Public Hearings to Investigate Toll of Trump’s Illegal War on Servicemembers

As USS Lincoln Returns Home, Duckworth Renews Her Call for Public Hearings to Investigate Toll of Trump's Illegal War on Servicemembers

After Duckworth and colleagues sent a letter to SecNav demanding answers, it was revealed that eight of the USS Lincoln's servicemembers attempted suicide

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As the USS Lincoln finally returns to port today in San Diego after over 300 days at sea, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is renewing her call for public hearings to investigate the toll that Trump's illegal war against Iran has had on our servicemembers, including the brave troops aboard the Lincoln, other ships and across bases in the region who suffered deteriorating conditions, rationed meals and dwindling supplies. Last month after Duckworth joined SASC Ranking Member Reed and her Senate Democratic colleagues to push for answers from Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, it was revealed that eight troops serving across the Lincoln's strike group attempted to commit suicide-further illustrating the immense strain this reckless war has put on our servicemembers.

"Pete Hegseth likes to say 'war is hell,' but what happened aboard the USS Lincoln was a level of pain that could've been avoided. The Trump Administration just chose not to.

"Our nation's servicemembers are as tough as they come. They will always answer the call and their families will always support them. But between rotten food, broken toilets and severe exhaustion, morale sank so low that eight servicemembers in the Lincoln's strike group attempted suicide. That shocking number should make us all wonder how many others were experiencing severe mental health crises but stopped short of this breaking point. All of this suffering is the direct result of the Trump Administration's incompetence and poor planning, recklessly throwing our troops into a war they have no idea how to end. And these conditions aren't just happening on the USS Lincoln.

"The growing toll of this disastrous war on our troops is unconscionable. Republicans cannot remain complicit and allow the Trump Administration to continue hiding behind closed door briefings. It's past time we held public hearings to investigate the extent of how badly Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth are failing our servicemembers while their families are worried sick at home. Our troops deserve better and the American people deserve the truth."

In August, Duckworth led her fellow Senate Democrats on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in calling on Chairman Wicker to hold a hearing to investigate how this Administration's failure to end Trump's war has taken a widespread physical, emotional and mental toll on troops deployed to the region. That toll has extended even beyond the disturbing conditions aboard the USS Lincoln-with dwindling supplies and deteriorating conditions aboard numerous ships and across bases in the region. Reporting has shown how unplanned deployment extensions have inflicted emotional and financial strain on other servicemembers in the Middle East and their families, leaving troops without return dates and causing families to struggle balancing childcare with work back at home.

Also in August, Duckworth introduced legislation to stop Trump's desperate attempt to obscure how long his illegal war against Iran has lasted, dishonor the sacrifice of our troops injured and killed in combat and hide the true cost of his disastrous war from the American people

Duckworth has been an outspoken critic of Trump's illegal, needless war in Iran since it began. She is one of the Senate Six-the original group of Senators who have been forcing votes on War Powers Resolutions that would cease hostilities in Iran, which Republicans have shamefully blocked nine times. Duckworth also announced she would vote against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (NDAA) as long as Trump's war is ongoing.

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