Worrying images from US Navy vessels deployed in the Iran war have surfaced after one service member’s family alleged crews are “running out of food”.
Photos recently shared by personnel aboard the USS Tripoli and USS Abraham Lincoln and published by USA Today appeared to show very small meal portions, prompting questions about whether those on the ships are being adequately fed.
The outlet reported that relatives of some sailors and Marines are anxious about their loved ones, concerned they may be going hungry during the Middle East deployment.
Among the images were plates described as sparse dinners: one showing a couple of small folded tortillas with a scoop of meat, and another featuring grey-looking processed meat alongside only a handful of boiled carrots.
Dan, whose daughter is a Marine serving on the USS Tripoli, is among the families so alarmed that they’ve begun mailing care packages packed with food to those at sea.
From intermittent messages with his daughter, Dan said he’d been told fresh produce was no longer available onboard and that food was being rationed to stretch supplies.
“We have the strongest military in the world. You shouldn’t be running out of food, and you shouldn’t not be able to get mail on the ship,” said Dan, 63, who also served in the Marines.
“The one thing we had over our adversaries [was] we fed our people.”
Dan said that when he learned his daughter was also short on basic toiletries, he put together a box with shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste and tampons, along with candy and snacks.
However, getting supplies to deployed troops has been complicated. Earlier this month, mail service to military ZIP codes across the Middle East was suspended indefinitely, leaving packages stuck in transit without a clear delivery timeline.
The USS Tripoli has been underway for more than a month after departing its home port in Japan to join the war in Iran.
Roughly 3,500 sailors and Marines are aboard the Tripoli and its two accompanying warships. The vessels are involved in enforcing a US blockade on ships leaving Iranian ports, according to the U.S. Central Command.
After the story was published on Thursday, the US Navy strongly pushed back on the suggestion its ships are lacking food.
The office of the Chief of Naval Operations, led by Admiral Daryl Caudle, posted on X: “Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false.
“Both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli have sufficient food onboard to serve their crews with healthy options. The health and wellbeing of our Sailors and Marines are my top priority, and every crew member continues to receive fully portioned, nutritionally balanced meals.
“Regarding mail and personal packages, a temporary hold on sending mail into theater, due to combat operations, has been lifted. Our logistical network is highly adaptable, and we remain committed to supporting our warfighters as they execute Operation Epic Fury.
“The US Navy possesses an unmatched logistics capability to sustain operations at sea, and routine menu adjustments are simply how we optimize our endurance to keep our warships in the fight.”
Separately, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also posted on X: “More FAKE NEWS from the Pharisee Press.”
For additional background, the Pharisees were a Jewish elite group who opposed Jesus in Biblical accounts, and the term is used by some Christians as an insult implying someone is fixated on rules while missing the larger point.
He added: “My team confirmed the logistics stats for the Lincoln & Tripoli. Both have 30+ days of Class I supplies (food) on board. NavCent monitors this everyday, for every ship.
“Our sailors deserve – and receive – the best.”