Sen. Mark Kelly says USS Lincoln sailors 'can't get basic needs met'

NPR | By Sacha Pfeiffer

Published August 17, 2026 at 6:49 AM EDT

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., takes his seat during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 2026.

Updated August 17, 2026 at 4:42 PM EDT

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona is calling for an investigation into conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, citing an account from the grandmother of a sailor who said her grandson has lost significant weight during the carrier's extended deployment.

Kelly, a former Navy combat pilot who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Morning Edition that the woman described her grandson as already thin when he joined the Navy and said he now appears to have lost 20 to 25 pounds.

"He's struggling," Kelly said, recounting his conversation with the soldier's grandmother. "It's depressing, and it's a very difficult situation."

Kelly also criticized what he described as dismissive responses from President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln.

Kelly said he and other lawmakers are seeking an investigation and want a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the carrier and assess conditions firsthand.

Listen to the full interview by clicking the play button above.