Yesterday, the USS Abraham Lincoln came home after a record long deployment. The USS Abraham Lincoln and Carrier Strike Group Three (CSG 3) deployed from San Diego on November 21, 2025. Originally, CSG 3’s mission was to conduct operations in the South China Sea. After President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu attacked Iran in February, CSG 3 was re-directed to the Middle East. The severe challenges the Lincoln began to experience in August began when Iran retaliated for our attacks on Tehran by attacking our Navy base in Bahrain, which served as a major logistics hub in the region. This led to basic supplies being cut off to the Lincoln. President Trump was warned Iran could retaliate, yet he dismissed these concerns and has never presented Congress with a clear strategy to indicate he and his Administration thought through these scenarios and had plans in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our troops.   

The average length of a Navy deployment at sea is six months. Typically, aircraft carriers periodically pull into a port to resupply and give the crew a chance to rest and regroup for several days. These stops can be requested when a crew has been at sea for at least 45 days. If things were operating normally, the Lincoln would have had at least 5 port stops on this deployment. Instead, they were at sea since the war in Iran began and had just one port day in December and one after families sounded the alarm about the dire conditions onboard.  

Secretary Hegseth said that reports surrounding USS Lincoln were “completely misrepresented,” despite acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao hearing directly from military family members about their worries at that townhall. President Trump said  their deployment had been “not nearly long enough.”   

The sailors and marines who deployed on the Lincoln have done a remarkable job and carried out their duties with skill and honor. San Diegans understand better than most the sacrifices our servicemembers and their families make. We want people to aspire to serve our country and be treated well during and afterward. We recognize and appreciate the Lincoln crew’s service and sacrifice, even if the President doesn’t. 

I had the chance to be in Coronado yesterday when the crew came home and it was heartwarming to see the brave men and women reunite with their loved ones – especially the many new dads who finally got to meet their babies!  

Congressional App Challenge

The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition open to middle and high school students. My office is hosting a hackathon with UC San Diego on October 15. Participants will tour the HPC Data Center and get to learn more about coding and the Congressional App Challenge. Space is limited, register to attend here. Supporting STEM education is critical to fuel future innovation, drive our economy, and ensure we remain a global leader. The App Challenge is one way we can inspire the next generation of STEM leaders. CA50’s young coders can learn more on my website or by attending the Hackathon. The deadline to submit an innovative app is October 26th. 

Military Service Academy Nominations

Each year, I have the privilege of nominating students to attend one of our nation's prestigious service academies. The honor of attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. My office is now accepting applications for Service Academy Nominations for 2026. Learn more about the application requirements and apply on my website. The deadline to apply for a nomination is October 30th. 

Click here for a comprehensive list of the actions I've taken to push back on the Trump Administration and protect San Diego.

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Thanks, and take care.