US Navy officials slam 'false' claims that USS Tripoli and USS Abraham Lincoln crews are facing food shortages... after grim images of their meals emerge

By JAMES CIRRONE, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 23:44, 18 April 2026 | Updated: 23:51, 18 April 2026 The US Navy has fiercely rejected claims that its warships in the Middle East are running low on food amid escalating conflict with Iran. On Thursday, USA Today published a piece that included interviews from family members of soldiers who were concerned their loved ones are going hungry, raising urgent concerns about whether troops are being adequately fed at mealtimes. The report was accompanied by pictures of the measly portions being handed out to servicemembers on the USS Tripoli and the USS Abraham Lincoln. 'Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false,' said the Chief of Naval Operations, an office run by Admiral Daryl Caudle. 'Both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli have sufficient food onboard to serve their crews with healthy options. The health and wellbeing of our Sailors and Marines are my top priority, and every crew member continues to receive fully portioned, nutritionally balanced meals.' Caudle's statement did not directly rebut or mention the USA Today report.  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth similarly denied the allegations, calling them 'more FAKE NEWS from the Pharisee Press'. 'My team confirmed the logistics stats for the Lincoln & Tripoli. Both have 30+ days of Class I supplies (food) on board. NavCent monitors this everyday, for every ship. Our sailors deserve - and receive - the best,' Hegseth said. Pictured: A meal of shredded meat and a folded tortilla that was recently served aboard the USS Tripoli, a US Navy ship that is deployed in the Middle East to fight the war in Iran. This photo was originally shared with USA Today Pictured: A similar sparse serving of meat and carrots was given to this sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, also in the Middle East Dan Caudle, the Chief of Naval Operations, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth strongly denied that either ship is running out of food, though neither of them addressed the USA Today piece The USS Tripoli is seen in the Singapore Strait on March 17, 2026 One anonymous father who spoke to USA Today explained that his daughter, a Marine aboard the Tripoli, sent him a picture of a mostly empty tray that had one small serving of shredded meat and a single folded tortilla. Another parent with a child on the Lincoln received a photo from mid-April that showed a tray with boiled carrots, a few scoops of ground beef and a gray slice of dry-looking meat. Karen Erskine-Valentine, a West Virginia pastor who spoke to a parent of a child on the Lincoln, said the food is 'tasteless' and that the sailors are 'hungry all the time'. USA Today also reported that care packages that families have been sending to troops have not been making it to the Middle East because of an indefinite suspension of mail deliveries to military ZIP codes. David Coleman, a US Postal Service spokesperson, told the outlet that no military mailings are being returned to the sender and that they will eventually arrive. In his statement, Caudle said the temporary suspension on mail has been lifted. 'Regarding mail and personal packages, a temporary hold on sending mail into theater, due to combat operations, has been lifted. Our logistical network is highly adaptable, and we remain committed to supporting our warfighters as they execute Operation Epic Fury,' he said. 'The US Navy possesses an unmatched logistics capability to sustain operations at sea, and routine menu adjustments are simply how we optimize our endurance to keep our warships in the fight.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.