Families of US sailors denounce Trump and Hegseth for ‘dismissing their experiences and calling them liars’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/16/navy-families-denounce-trump-hegseth

Naval families with loved ones deployed for months on US warships amid the Iran war have reacted with fury to Donald Trump and the defense secretary Pete Hegseth’s dismissal of their concerns about the extreme pressures and dire conditions they are enduring.

The Guardian has talked to three naval families who have been following the physical and mental stresses bearing down on their relatives with mounting alarm. The families, with loved ones on board the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli, all spoke anonymously for fear of retribution against their active duty relatives.

They spoke of insufficient nourishment that has led to close relatives losing 20-30lbs in weight since they were sent to the Middle East five months ago, leaving one sailor “emaciated”, according to his mother. They spoke also of low-quality drinking water and scarce mental health counseling and support despite the intense burden of being at sea for months on end without making land.

216 points · 19 comments · view on lemmy.world

19 Comments

HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca · 30 pts · 12d (1 reply)

All the families should be going to the media.

It's really funny how much the US is turning into North Korea.

Carmakazi@piefed.social · 7 pts · 12d

I'm waiting for news of the sailors who are telling and showing this information to the public getting thrown in the brig and on the fast track to Leavenworth. Chasing and punishing whistleblowers is one of the Trump regime's favorite pastimes.

SeeMarkFly@lemmy.ml · 25 pts · 12d (1 reply)

How come “false” reporting about the military is treasonous,

BUT Trump lying about their condition is not?

phutatorius@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 10d

Because anything fascists don't like is treasonous, and they always like their Dear Leader.

TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 12d (1 reply)

If Trump calling veterans "losers" didn't stop people from supporting him, what what would be different this time around?

SalmonTractor@discuss.tchncs.de · 5 pts · 12d

This negative angle has to be minimized before the loudest supporters are actually just the loudest detractors.

More are leaving that orange moron every day, and will continue to do so.

Just the fact he doesn’t understand “pool” was something many people from many walks of life could comprehend and put in a context of just how idiotic he is.

Now, more physical evidence of his ineptitude.

JoMiran@lemmy.ml · 17 pts · 12d

Trump and Kegbreath are being pieces of shit?!?

pelespirit@sh.itjust.works · 17 pts · 12d (1 reply)

So, they're starving our sailors? What the actual fuck?!!! He's talking about his almost a billion dollar renovation and he's starving our sailors? I'm beyond angry on this.

They spoke of insufficient nourishment that has led to close relatives losing 20-30lbs in weight since they were sent to the Middle East five months ago,

Nonconfrontational@lemmy.ml · -2 pts · 12d

Terrorists working for the rapist billionaire pedophile state going hungry is a good thing actually

GuyFawkesV@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 12d (1 reply)

Give the odds, how do those families feel about their Trump votes now? Got what you voted for!!!

tempest@lemmy.ca · 9 pts · 12d

I don't know why those suckers and losers aren't happy to be treated this way. Anyone who was in the American military and voted for Trump is/was a literal simp.

limonfiesta@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 12d (4 replies)

Going off statistics, the vast majority of these sailors, and their families, got exactly what they voted for.

I don't want to hear from a single parent now, who didn't also speak out after their precious whittle babies murdered 175 school-girls, or the countless other civilians the USN killed during its most recent warcrime speed.

RunningInRVA@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 12d (3 replies)

What are those statistics btw?

limonfiesta@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 12d (1 reply)

That 65% voted for President Trump.

RunningInRVA@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 12d

Of people in the military?

limonfiesta@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 12d

[ removed ]

inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 12d

Yeah... Military and veterans voted 61 percent for Trump and MAGA. You get what you stupidly voted for.

Enjoy the day you voted for!

OldChicoAle@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 12d