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Concerns Grow Over Conditions on Aircraft Carrier, and Trump Pushes New Hacking Effort

August 14, 2026

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5 min read

Concerns Grow Over Conditions on Aircraft Carrier, and Trump Pushes New Hacking Effort

The USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier with roughly 5,000 sailors, has been deployed for nearly nine months near Iran, and conditions aboard have reportedly deteriorated to the point that multiple sailors have tried to jump overboard. Democratic senators have sounded the alarm about moldy showers, sporadic hot water, rationed meals and soap, broken toilets, and 12-to-16-hour workdays. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back against the reports, saying "we make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment." But the episode captures a broader pattern: extended deployments are taking a serious toll on both personnel and equipment across the Navy.

The Toll on the Fleet

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:51) **Aircraft Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln Faces Extended Deployment Crisis** - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushes back against reports of deteriorating conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nearly nine months.
  • 2 (02:57) **Trump Signs Memo Encouraging Private Companies to Hack Back** - President Trump greenlights a new national security strategy allowing private American companies to strike international cyber criminal groups.
  • 3 (05:04) **Judge Orders Prediction Market Kalshi to Halt Most Operations** - A Washington State judge rules that Kalshi is violating state gambling laws, adding to legal battles over the fast-growing industry.
  • 4 (07:19) **Moldova Becomes Major Target of Kremlin Interference** - The Times reports on Russia's extensive operation to gain control of Moldova, a former Soviet state prioritizing EU membership.
  • 5 (09:36) **Madden Video Game Mod Simulates Concussion Consequences** - A group releases a free modification for the Madden NFL franchise that simulates concussion symptoms like blurred vision, tinnitus, and dizziness.
  • 6 (11:47) **Friday News Quiz** - The host presents a weekly quiz on stories covered by the Times.
  • 7 Standout Quotes

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Michael Schwartz

Show Notes

Plus, your Friday news quiz. 

Here’s what we’re covering:

Concerns Grow Over Conditions on Navy Carrier, by John Ismay, Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt

Trump Gives Green Light to U.S. Companies to Aim Hacks at Cybercriminals, by Dustin Volz

Kalshi Ordered to Cease Most Operations in Washington State, by Lauren McCarthy

Inside Russia’s Giant Push to Upend a Tiny Country, by Michael Schwirtz, Adam Goldman and Aaron Krolik

Madden Is Designed to Feel Real. So Where Are the Concussions?, by Matt Stevens and Ken Belson

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