An F-35 fighter jet and flight-deck crew aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier at sea, part of a carrier air wing during an extended deployment. Photo: PBS NewsHour
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August 19, 2026
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea 208 straight days, a record in modern times, and sailors' families are raising alarms about mental health and supplies. Students weigh the Trump administration's response and the stakes of long deployments.
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Reports from sailors and their families describe concerning conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The ship has been at sea since last November, a record-length deployment in modern times of 208 consecutive days on the water. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports.
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Short on time? Watch the video and complete the following See, Think, Wonder questions: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
Take 10-20 seconds to think about what goes into making a decision. It can range from light-hearted decisions to serious, big decisions.
In the News Hour segment, Trump said he was sending the USS George Washington from Japan to the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln. What are the implications of this decision? Take a look at the Stars and Stripes article, "Military moves in Middle East raise questions about US commitment to Pacific," to learn more about Trump's decision. Author Gary Warner writes how the decision "has raised questions about the U.S. commitment to the Pacific as the primary region of superpower rivalry in the world."
According to Warner: "The conflict with Iran, now in its sixth month, has required the transfer of large stocks of long-range missiles and anti-missile defense weapons away from Asia. Lyle Goldstein, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University who specializes in China policy, said the U.S. needs an honest appraisal of its ability to wage war in multiple regions."
When you have had to make a decision in your life, you likely have thought about the effects of those decisions. For example, do you ever make a "cost-benefit analysis" when you are trying to make a choice? Do "unintended consequences" factor into your decision? Do you agree with Trump's decision not to leave any aircraft carriers in the Pacific? Why or why not?
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
