Reports from military publications and crew member families highlighted deteriorating conditions on the Lincoln, including food shortages, broken plumbing, and multiple suicide attempts. While President Donald Trump dismissed these concerns, he confirmed that a carrier swap would take place.

The arrival of the Japan-based USS George Washington—which departed from its previous operations in the Pacific—temporarily leaves the Pacific region without a U.S. aircraft carrier. The USS Abraham Lincoln had originally departed California in November 2025 before being rerouted to the Middle East ahead of the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran that began in late February.