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The official Cuban press launched an attack this week against the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), describing it as a symbol of the “facade of imperial power” of the United States, highlighting reports of technical failures and long lines of sailors waiting to use the bathrooms on board.
In an article published by the state newspaper Girón, journalist Gabriel Torres Rodríguez introduced the ship—valued at about 12 billion dollars and considered the most modern flagship of the U.S. Navy—as an example of what he described as Washington's "propaganda machinery."
"The most expensive ship in history is sailing towards a potential war with Iran while hundreds of sailors wait in line for 45 minutes to use a bathroom," the text sarcastically points out, referencing reports from U.S. media about issues with the vacuum system that manages the toilets on the aircraft carrier.
According to the article, the USS Gerald R. Ford has accumulated over 240 days of continuous mission, with its deployment extended on several occasions.
The text references information from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times regarding malfunctions in the healthcare system — with over 200 reports of failures in just a few days — and the exhaustion of a crew of more than 4,500 sailors.
It also mentions delays and issues with other U.S. aircraft carriers, such as the USS John C. Stennis and the USS George Washington, to support the claim that, of the eleven aircraft carriers officially possessed by the U.S. Navy, only a few would be fully operational in conflict zones.
The article also criticizes statements made by President Donald Trump regarding the naval deployment in the region, suggesting that the deployment of the aircraft carrier is more of a political signal than a display of solid operational capability.
The publication frames the technical difficulties within a broader narrative about what it refers to as the "decline" of U.S. military power and its reliance on propaganda.
The text argues that the deployment of the Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf is part of a "choreography" aimed at projecting strength against Iran, despite alleged logistical weaknesses.
From Havana, official media have linked this situation to Washington's foreign policy towards Cuba, economic sanctions, and other international disputes, portraying the case as a demonstration that the image of American power does not always align with its operational reality.
So far, the Pentagon has not responded to the criticisms spread by the Cuban press, although it has previously acknowledged technical challenges with the vessel, stating that they are part of the process of adjusting and modernizing a next-generation weapon system.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, commissioned in 2017, continues to be deployed as part of the United States Navy operations in the region, amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
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