Images provided to Newsweek show poor‑quality meals served to U.S. service members deployed to the Iran war.
The images have highlighted concerns about the welfare of service members raised questions about why food is being rationed for the US military.
Speaking to Newsweek, Gerald D. Givens Jr. said “[My friend] told me her son has lost 17 pounds. Her husband, also a close friend and a retired veteran, shared that a care package they sent in December still has not arrived.”
Givens is a retired member of the U.S. Air Force and the founder and CEO of Raleigh Boots On The Ground, a nonprofit that supports military families. Givens has been vocal about his disapproval of President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In the past week, he received the pictures from a friend of his, whose son is currently serving on board the ship in the Middle East.
Supplies and morale at an “all time low”
These latest photos come after USA Today published images of poor-quality meals served to service personnel in the Iran war, just last week.
In a text message to his mother, a navy sailor said that supplies “are going to get really low,” and the crew doesn’t anticipate any port visits to resupply food until the ship returns from its mission.
He added, “Morale is going to be at an all-time low.”
Pentagon denies food shortages
The Pentagon has denied any suggestions of food shortages on board ships when asked by Newsweek and USA Today, following these photos. Instead, they directed Newsweek to a series of posts by the U.S. Navy’s Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, including one that said: “Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false.”
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called the allegations and pictures “fake news”, declaring that both the USS Tripoli and USS Abraham Lincoln have over a month of Class I food supplies.
Care packages from family in limbo
The lack of supplies, food rations, and hygiene products have pushed family and community members to send care packages to the USS Abraham Lincoln. However, none of these packages have reached the Middle East.
While mail services are available to the US military, mail delivery to 27 military ZIP codes in the region has been suspended, according to a U.S. Postal Service service alert.
To date, none of the packages have reached their destinations.
Iran war and Trump are increasingly unpopular
Only 37% of adults had a positive view of Trump’s presidency, according to an NBC News poll, a new low for the network’s in-house polls, while a 63% majority disapproved of his job performance.
Most respondents disapproved of how Trump has handled the war in Iran, with 54% strongly disapproving in addition to another 13% who somewhat disapproved.
The same poll reveals that the outlook of Americans is at its most pessimistic: one-third of Americans believe the country is on the right track while two-thirds believe it is on the wrong track.
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