Signal US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere

Summary

The US Navy entered a period without an aircraft carrier in the western Pacific as the USS George Washington, its only forward-deployed carrier based in Japan, moved to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, according to PBS News/AP. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed that the Lincoln, which had logged one of the longest carrier deployments in modern Navy history at more than 250 days, would return to the United States as part of a planned rotation; reports of crew mental health strain, including attempted overboard incidents, had accompanied the extended deployment. The George Washington completed a port visit to Da Nang, Vietnam and a joint search-and-rescue exercise with Vietnamese forces before transiting the Strait of Malacca toward the Indian Ocean. The redeployment stems from Trump's ongoing military operations against Iran, which have stretched the availability of US carriers to their limits. Defense analysts warned that the resulting carrier gap could give China an opportunity to project power in the region, noting recent Chinese military activity near Scarborough Shoal. Analysts also said the carrier gap could be short-lived if the Navy deploys another vessel in the coming months.