He thanked the military for their "dedication and courage" and noted that their rotation would go down in history as "one of the most intense and significant" in modern times. Cooper visited the aircraft carrier for the second time this year. The previous visit took place in February. The aircraft carrier arrived in the region in January and has since been participating in the campaign against Iran. Due to active involvement in the operation, it has not been able to dock for crew rest. Rumors began to surface that the morale among the servicemen was deteriorating due to fatigue from the prolonged rotation. In particular, as [CNN reported](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/15/politics/sailors-air-craft-carriers-longer-deployments-uss-abraham-lincoln), sailors anonymously complained about issues with the water supply system, a shortage of hygiene items, and a certain lack of food. Two crew members allegedly jumped overboard in an attempt to commit suicide due to severe psychological distress, but they were rescued.
