— Crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have been told not to speak to the gathered journalists about the reportedly deteriorating living conditions during their deployment in CENTCOM, The Guardian reports.The ship’s captain, Dan Keeler, disputed much of the reporting, saying there was a “disconnect” between coverage at home and conditions aboard the carrier. He acknowledged that fresh fruit and vegetables eventually became unavailable and that supplies such as soap and toothpaste had to be carefully rationed to ensure everyone received some.
Keeler declined to address reports of attempted suicides because of an ongoing investigation.
Responding to President Trump’s remark that the 270-day deployment was “not nearly long enough,” he said simply: “The president speaks for himself.”
