New photos expose appalling meals on US navy ships: Newsweek

New photographs purporting to show meager meals aboard US Navy vessels have surfaced, reigniting debate over food quality for soldiers deployed in the Middle East amid the ongoing war with Iran.

An officer on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln provided the images to retired Air Force member Gerald D. Givens Jr., who shared them with Newsweek.

The Pentagon and Navy have firmly rejected any notion of shortages, insisting that sailors receive fully portioned, nutritionally balanced meals and that reports to the contrary are false.

The latest images depict food trays with minimal portions, including a single meat patty, a small serving of shredded meat, and sparse side items.

Givens, a former Food Service Specialist with deployment experience, described the meals as “below standard.” He received the photos from a friend whose son is serving aboard the Lincoln.

The images follow similar complaints from earlier this month about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli.

The controversy began in mid-April when USA Today published photographs shared by military families, showing unappetizing plates such as a dry meat patty with a gray slab of processed meat and boiled carrots, or a tortilla with a small scoop of shredded meat on an otherwise empty tray.

US forces, including the Lincoln and Tripoli, are supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran, with more than 50,000 troops in the region and additional carriers deployed despite a temporary ceasefire.

Logistical challenges from combat operations have also affected mail delivery, with a temporary hold on packages to certain military ZIP codes in effect earlier this year due to the conflict.

The Pentagon directed inquiries to prior statements from the Navy’s Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

“Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false,” the office stated.

“Both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli have sufficient food onboard to serve their crews with healthy options.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reinforced the denial earlier this month, calling the reports “FAKE NEWS” and confirming that both ships maintain over 30 days of Class I food supplies (food).

“NavCent monitors this every day, for every ship,” Hegseth wrote.

“Our sailors deserve—and receive—the best.”

The Navy has released its own images of stocked serving lines and full plates to counter the viral photos, attributing variations to routine menu adjustments for endurance at sea.

Givens and some service members’ families have raised broader morale concerns, noting one sailor reportedly lost 17 pounds and that a care package sent in December remains undelivered.