US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly criticised the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln after its social media account claimed a “complete victory” over Iranian vessels in the Arabian Sea. Hegseth said the post mischaracterised the encounter.

The now-deleted post claimed the carrier’s crew had defeated Iranian boats that approached the ship. Hegseth rejected suggestions that the vessels had harassed the American carrier, saying the account’s claims were wrong.

A formal citation was issued to the ship following the incident, according to US media reports. The Pentagon has not released the full text of the citation.

The episode is awkward for the Pentagon, which has sought to project calm as tensions with Iran rise. The Abraham Lincoln is part of the US naval buildup in the region amid warnings of possible strikes on Iran. Defence officials said social media accounts for military units are expected to follow strict accuracy rules.

The Pentagon routinely warns military units about operational security on social media. The Lincoln’s post was deleted within hours, but screenshots spread widely, drawing criticism from veterans and analysts alike.