Ford's record deployment tests Trump's military ambitions
A March onboard fire crippled the USS Gerald R. Ford’s laundry facility, costing around 600 sailors access to bunks and laundry for 30 hours, while the carrier—America’s largest and most capable—continues a deployment that could set a record for the longest carrier mission since Vietnam. The Ford has been central to Trump’s interventionist foreign policy, supporting operations in Iran and Venezuela and moving across the Atlantic, Caribbean, and European theaters, with a quick detour to Greece for repairs. The extended at-sea duties have strained sailors and families and raised burnout and retention concerns in Navy leadership, prompting bonuses and a Pentagon review, all while a therapy dog named Sage helps crew morale on this grueling voyage.
