Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.
The Navy is sending the USS George Washington to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.
The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days amid reports of poor living conditions
and declining morale among sailors.
The move comes as President Trump defends the war in Iran.
NPR's Emily Fang reports the president says the conflict justifies higher gas prices and suggests a U.S.
Victory may be near.
Speaking on Long Island at a rally for law enforcement officers, Trump claimed the U.S.
Was defeating Iran and laughingly spoke about the Strait of Hormuz.
Pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.
Yet negotiations with Iran through intermediary countries have hit a snag over control of the waterway.
Iranian officials have said they won't negotiate with the U.S.
And Tehran maintains effective control of a major northerly route through the strait.
Earlier this month, Iran and Oman reviewed a potential agreement
that would open the strait under terms that would ban American
and Israeli ships and charge shippers a fee of up to 7% of the cargo's value.
Emily Fang, NPR News, Washington.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Hawaii's big island as tropical storm Lala gains strength in the Pacific.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm has maximum sustained
winds of 65 miles per hour and is expected to become a hurricane later today.