The U.S. is preparing to hit Iran with economic measures that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said have “never been seen on Iran,” even as the military pushes back on reports of deteriorating conditions aboard one of its aircraft carriers in the region.
In an interview with Newsmax, Bessent described the strategy as a combination of “economic isolation like the world has never seen before” paired with a continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that would “keep anything from going in or out of the Iranian ports.” He did not provide further details on the specific measures under consideration.
The comments come as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly said late Thursday that the U.S. military can sustain the naval blockade of Iran “indefinitely.” Hegseth told reporters the Navy would rotate ships in and out of the region “as we have, and we’ll continue to.”
Carrier rotation in the works
Media reports indicate the USS George Washington is headed to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days. The Lincoln’s deployment had originally been expected to wrap up in May.
The Navy said in a statement that the George Washington strike group departed Vietnam on Aug. 12, according to reports.
Conditions aboard the Lincoln disputed
Hegseth also addressed reports about difficult conditions on the Lincoln, including food shortages, declining morale, and even attempts by sailors to jump overboard. He dismissed those accounts as “completely misrepresented.”
Shortly after Hegseth’s remarks, Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) said on X that he had sent a letter to Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao expressing serious concerns about conditions on the carrier. “The reports coming from military families and loved ones about the conditions aboard the USS Lincoln are simply unacceptable,” Levin wrote. His letter cited reports of moldy showers, broken toilets, lack of hot water, limited access to fresh produce, and supply shortages.
The letter also noted that sailors and marines are said to face an “overwhelming workload,” contributing to “extreme fatigue and burnout.”
In a post on X, U.S. Central Command rejected claims of a brawl aboard the carrier, saying the reports were false and that no service members have died.
The denial came after Iranian media claimed on Tuesday that seven U.S. Navy personnel had been killed and several wounded “in a violent clash” on the Lincoln. U.S. officials have not confirmed any such incident.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/14/us-iran-war-trump-hormuz-carrier-abraham-lincoln-george-washington.html
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