The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) says reported toilet problems aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford are “highly exaggerated,” while also attributing some of the challenges to sailor misuse. According to Military Times and Navy Times, the CNO describes improper use by personnel as a contributing factor to issues with the ship’s toilets. The two outlets report the same core message from the CNO, presenting misuse as part of the explanation rather than solely portraying the situation as a major equipment failure. Both sources frame the CNO’s comments as a response to public reporting about sanitation-related difficulties on the carrier, suggesting that the severity of the problems has been overstated. The reporting aligns on the attribution of at least some responsibility to misuse and on the CNO’s characterization that the overall depiction of the situation is exaggerated. Neither outlet provides additional detailed technical findings in the provided excerpts.