USS Theodore Roosevelt heads back to San Diego after Pacific exercises
The nuclear-powered carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is returning to its San Diego homeport after leading the Rim of the Pacific 2026 drills near Hawaii.
The United States Navy’s fourth Nimitz-class carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), is set to sail back to San Diego after a deployment that began on June 15 to command the Rim of the Pacific 2026 exercises near Hawaii. The multinational drill featured over 30 surface combatants, five submarines and close to 200 aircraft. Upon arrival, the carrier will receive a short maintenance period before embarking on a full deployment expected to start in September.
At present, USS George Washington (CVN-73) is the sole carrier operating in the Western Pacific, having recently visited Da Nang, Vietnam, and participated in Valiant Shield with Japan. Two other Nimitz-class carriers, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), remain in the U.S. 5th Fleet area to back ongoing operations against Iran, with Abraham Lincoln approaching a record-long deployment. Speculation exists that Theodore Roosevelt could be redirected to the Middle East if a peace settlement does not materialize.
Why it matters
The carrier’s movement reshapes U.S. naval presence in the Pacific and may affect future deployments to the Middle East.
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