US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth flew to the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday and praised the resilience of sailors who endured an extended, wartime deployment.
The Lincoln is due to dock on Thursday in San Diego. Its deployment included more than 260 continuous days without a port call, a record, according to the Pentagon.
Hegseth accused reporters of trying to turn the crew of the Lincoln strike group into symbols of dysfunction or of a failed mission instead of heroes of the conflict, and presented a citation from President Donald Trump for their achievements during the Iran war.
The Lincoln's accomplishments included sinking 64 Iranian warships, destroying 21 anti-ship cruise missiles, executing 3,693 combat sorties, launching 450 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles and firing 1.37 million pounds of ordnance against Iran, Hegseth said.
Despite the fast pace of combat operations, it suffered no casualties and had no aircraft mishaps, Hegseth said.
"What makes the US military and the US Navy and all these sailors different is that you adapt and that you're resilient and you overcome - you finish the mission nonetheless," Hegseth told the crew. "Yes, it's hard. That's why you're here. You do difficult and hard things."
Typically naval deployments are for between six and nine months but can be extended during times of conflict. Mental health issues on long deployments have long challenged the US Navy.
In August, amid reports of low morale and supply shortages on board, Trump was asked whether he thought the Lincoln had been deployed too long. Trump responded: "No, no, no. Not nearly long enough."
Hegseth acknowledged some challenges on board, saying "there wasn't an easy resupply."
Ahead of the carrier's return to port, Hegseth joked that he was "the only thing standing between you and home" and that he was also the one who signed the orders repeatedly extending the deployment.
"You deserve to see your families and see them as soon as possible," Hegseth said, adding he just wanted to see them for "a moment on the route, on the way in, just to say thank you."
Trump is weighing next steps against Iran, including whether to escalate strikes before or after the elections, as he presses a naval blockade meant to pile economic pressure on Tehran to reach a deal to end the conflict.
Vice President JD Vance told Reuters on Monday that Iran must make a "meaningful" reduction in its uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries' seven-month war.
Hegseth said the crew of the Lincoln had helped ensure the US objective of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"You have changed the arc of history," he told them on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Christian Martinez and Katherine Jackson; Editing by Jamie Freed)