From the Top Rope: Retired Four-Star General Blasts Media for Portraying Lincoln Warriors As Victims

Once the legacy media has their claws in a story that they think will reflect badly on President Trump, they'll beat the poor dead horse until there's nothing left but glue, facts be damned.

And that's exactly what is going on with the narrative they're trying to build around the conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), which has been on an extended deployment to the Middle East with precious few days in port.

As you would expect, some of the 5,000 Sailors and Marines aboard the floating city have struggled with the extended time at sea, something U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper addressed after visiting the carrier over the weekend, saying in a statement that his time aboard was “awe-inspiring” and that he saw “camaraderie, teamwork and resilience.”

"This doesn’t mean that all is perfect," said Cooper. "Find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans in America today and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn’t for everyone. It is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways."

It's a hardship for the families waiting at home, too. FaceTime calls help, but aren't a replacement for having your loved one by your side. So, some complaints have been made from those aboard who are eager to get home. Out of 5,000 people, some just aren't going to be happy about the situation (and those who are really suffering mentally, said Cooper, are getting the help they need).

The media headlines, however, are blaring the best the theater kids could come up with: “Shocking Texts Reveal Sailors’ Nightmare in Trump’s War.” “War-Beleaguered Crew of USS Abraham Lincoln Will Finally Get Some Relief.” “Sailor’s texts reveal deteriorating conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln.”

They had just gotten off their fainting couches from the "decoy" story, and now this.

Along comes retired Gen. Jack Keane to call out the media’s overheated portrayal of life aboard the Lincoln and defend the Sailors whose extraordinary service has been reduced to nothing more than a cheap media narrative. “I’ve never seen such misrepresentation in the media of the actual facts that took place," Keane remarked Monday on Fox News' America’s Newsroom.

Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) on the USS Lincoln: "I've never seen such misrepresentation in the media of the actual facts that took place... It's insulting to these troops. They've been there for a long time, standing tall, representing the United States — and that’s what they… pic.twitter.com/IUfG1BFdYI
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 17, 2026

Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) on the USS Lincoln: "I've never seen such misrepresentation in the media of the actual facts that took place... It's insulting to these troops. They've been there for a long time, standing tall, representing the United States — and that’s what they volunteered to do, and when they’re doing something like that, they really feel good about the meaning and the purpose of what it's about. And their families are sacrificing, as well. We should be very proud of them, wrapping our arms around them figuratively in terms of what they’ve accomplished."

Here's the thing: the legacy media only cares about the military when it's politically expedient to do so. The rest of the time, they couldn't care less about hot dogs being served in the mess instead of corn dogs.

Social media being the great equalizer that it is has come through once again, blowing the media's narrative clear out of the water. Far from being a drudgery and hardship, said one father whose son currently serves on the Lincoln, morale is good and their resolve is strong.

USS Abraham Lincoln sailor dad:

“As some you may know my son, Casey, is a yellow shirt on the "ABE." As such, he has one of the most dangerous and physically and mentally demanding jobs onboard the ship. The flight deck is non-stop. He has worked incredibly long shifts, with… pic.twitter.com/yk2WN8nxQn
— NOVA Campaigns (@NoVA_Campaigns) August 16, 2026

USS Abraham Lincoln sailor dad:
“As some you may know my son, Casey, is a yellow shirt on the "ABE." As such, he has one of the most dangerous and physically and mentally demanding jobs onboard the ship. The flight deck is non-stop. He has worked incredibly long shifts, with little time off.
He is not suffering.
His morale and resolve are strong.
He is proud to have a role in this operation. He is just one example of the many brave, resilient, and strong individuals proudly serving on the ABE.
As a father, I cannot express how proud I am of my son. As an American I am proud of the crew of the ABE who have broken records for time at sea not seen since WWII. War is terrible. And this crew has certainly had hardships and made sacrifices, but it dishonors their service to cast them as victims. They are sailors, warriors, and Americans committed to one another and willing to fight until the job is done.
You can disagree with the policy decision to put them there (that is one of rights they have committed to protecting with their lives if necessary). You can also acknowledge hardships without belittling the sailors or turning their service into a pitiful narrative to bolster personal agendas.”

Gen. Keane and that sailor dad have it exactly right: acknowledging hardship honors these men and women, while reducing them to helpless victims for a political hit piece helps no one. The crew of the Lincoln – and their families at home – deserves better than to have its sacrifice twisted into yet another tired anti-Trump storyline.

Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.

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