As we’ve been reporting, the media have gone into overdrive with their hysterical coverage of the supposedly miserable conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
It's been deployed with few port stops for over 260 days, much of it in dangerous Middle Eastern waters as the U.S.-Iran conflict continues.
Granted, that’s a long time, but many outlets have been frothing about sailors jumping off ships, massive food shortages, and deadly fights on the decks. While the Pentagon has acknowledged that the deployment has been arduous and there have been challenges, they forcefully pushed back on the narrative, with Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell calling the coverage “shameful” on Friday:
I deployed for 485 days in Afghanistan with an 80 percent-plus casualty rate. We came under fire nearly every day. Combat deployments bring real hardship. That is simply the truth.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) August 14, 2026
We endured it. We held together. We finished the mission.
The media treatment of the USS Abraham… https://t.co/AU5c51IGNA
I deployed for 485 days in Afghanistan with an 80 percent-plus casualty rate. We came under fire nearly every day. Combat deployments bring real hardship. That is simply the truth.
We endured it. We held together. We finished the mission.
The media treatment of the USS Abraham Lincoln is something different. Legitimate challenges of a long combat deployment are being twisted into a false narrative, while the genuine difficulties faced by military families are being used for headlines.
That is shameful.
The Sailors aboard the Lincoln are doing what American warriors have always done: remaining resilient, focused on the mission, and proud of their service on this historic deployment.
We stand with them.
A Washington Post reporter named Dan Lamothe didn’t like that he and his brethren had been called out, so he thought he’d try to be cute and respond to Parnell with a challenge:
Sean, a suggestion: If you want well-rounded stories of rank-and-file troops told well, you need to put real, independent journalists alongside them on occasion. Embeds. Embarks. Visits, at least.
— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) August 14, 2026
Not everything comes through on Instagram.
V/R,
Someone who has done this work https://t.co/bENS7dKz3c
Ooh, good one, Dan, you got him. Checkmate.
Except wait, no, you didn’t, because apparently you weren’t paying attention or you memory-holed that this in-depth, behind-the-scenes video aboard the USS Lincoln aired in July. And it wasn’t a Fox News story; in fact, it was televised by… CNN.
I didn’t see a single clip of sailors jumping overboard:
Hi @DanLamothe,
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) August 15, 2026
Pamela Brown from CNN was actually embedded aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln just a month ago—and they even ate ice cream while visiting the ship! https://t.co/XXnn1gMjj8 pic.twitter.com/KRyVuMn2vb
Your move, Dan.
MORE: Hung Cao Torpedoes Media Narrative About 'Miserable' USS Abraham Lincoln Crew
Fake News: CENTCOM Fires Back at Mainstream Media Claims of Abject Misery Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
If I were near Lamothe, I’d be happy to provide a towel so he could wipe the egg off his face.
He tried a comeback, but frankly, it was pretty lame:
It's appreciated. It's also more rare than it used to be.
— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) August 15, 2026
One example: I was at the border early in this administration. Story seemed appreciated and got no pushback.
Sought to go back again this spring for a follow-on story. Efforts were worked ... and then denied at the…
It's appreciated. It's also more rare than it used to be.
One example: I was at the border early in this administration. Story seemed appreciated and got no pushback.
Sought to go back again this spring for a follow-on story. Efforts were worked ... and then denied at the Pentagon.
Hey Dan — a simple “I’m sorry” would have sufficed.
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