The quote is "the oldest warship in the American fleet" and my response to your apparent snark is that the USS Constitution is still US Navy, it is still officially in commission with an official Navy crew, it still leaves the dock every year, it is still considered a warship and it is still part of "the Fleet". Lack of deployment does not constitute absence from the Fleet. [grin]
And to put the cherry on this, the USS Constitution is also the oldest commissioned naval vessel anywhere in the world. Not many man-made things here in the US can make that claim!
Of course this is from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and their oldest ships can be found wherever the British Navy left them. So their naval knowledge may be somewhat impaired. If they had said "the oldest warship in deployment of the American fleet", it would be absolutely correct.
She was built before the USS Constitution.
I’ve visited it in Boston. It’s a floating museum piece.