US Navy Responds to Food Quality Controversy: Are Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli Really Well-Fed?

Translation result Photos of substandard meals aboard U.S. warships deployed to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran have circulated online, prompting the Navy to publicly push back and say it is providing adequate food.

On the 17th (local time), outlets including the New York Post reported images of poor-quality meals on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli — both deployed to the region — were spreading on X (formerly Twitter).

In an interview with USA Today, a Navy family member said the food “has no flavor” and portions are so small that sailors are “constantly hungry.” The photos show meal trays with chopped meat and a single tortilla, or a few cooked carrot slices next to an unidentified gray lump of meat.

Social media users reacted harshly, calling the food “like a shoe insole,” “not fit for a dog,” and “slop at famine-ration levels.”

As the controversy mounted, the U.S. Navy’s operational command, led by Chief of Naval Operations Daryl Caudle, issued a statement denying reports of food shortages or poor-quality meals. The Navy said both the Lincoln and the Tripoli have sufficient provisions to offer sailors healthy options and that all crew members receive nutritionally balanced, properly portioned meals.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also dismissed the reports as “fake news” on social media, saying logistics data show both ships stock more than 30 days’ worth of first-class rations and stressing that U.S. service members receive top-tier treatment.