SECDEF Austin Admits US Troops Could Come Under Fire in Gaza, Won’t Call it ‘Boots on the Ground’ if They Shoot Back

Last updated on August 7th, 2024 at 04:29 pm

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) pressed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday about the possibility of U.S. service members becoming involved in the fighting in the Gaza Strip as they manage a humanitarian aid pier along Gaza’s Mediterranean coastline.

In March, President Joe Biden ordered the U.S. military to begin constructing a makeshift pier on the Gazan coastline to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries to the civilian population there, amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the territory.

Gaetz questioned Austin about the pier and about the risk posed to the roughly 1,000 U.S. troops overseeing the pier’s operations during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, and the possibility they might trade fire with militants during this pier operation.

BREAKING: Secretary Lloyd Austin ADMITS likelihood of shooting warfare between U.S. service members and Gaza forces soon 👇

GAETZ: “This is a very telling moment, Mr. Secretary, because you've said something that's quite possible that could happen. Shots from Gaza on our service… pic.twitter.com/HmS1bfqeWB

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 30, 2024

“Typically all the deployed service members carry guns and they have the ability to protect themselves if challenged,” Austin said.

“So if someone from land and Gaza shoots at our servicemembers who are on the $320 million pier that we’re building, you’re telling me our service members can shoot back?” Gaetz asked.

“They have the right to return fire to protect themselves,” Austin replied.

Gaetz then asked the defense secretary whether he considered it a likely possibility that U.S. troops could come under fire and have to return fire while overseeing the Gaza pier. Austin admitted the scenario is “possible.”

“This is a very telling moment, Mr. Secretary, because you’ve said something that’s quite possible that could happen, right? Shots from Gaza on our service members and then the response: our armed service members shooting live fire into Gaza,” Gaetz reiterated.

The Florida congressman then placed that scenario against President Joe Biden’s assurances while announcing the humanitarian aid pier that “no U.S. boots will be on the ground” in the Gaza Strip as part of the operation.

“President Biden told the country that we weren’t going to have boots on the ground in Gaza,” Gaetz insisted.

“And we won’t,” Austin replied.

“When Americans think ‘boots on the ground,’ they think Americans in harm’s way, or engaged actively in a conflict,” Gaetz replied. “You guys seem to be sort of saying that boots on a pier connected to the ground, connected to service members shooting into Gaza doesn’t count as boots on the ground?”

“It does not,” Austin said.

“I think you’re gonna find that the American people have a different perspective on that,” Gaetz insisted. “And if we’re gonna have people shooting into Gaza, we probably should have a vote on that pursuant to our war powers.”

Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole authority to actually declare war. The 1973 War Powers Resolution further constrains the U.S. president’s to commit U.S. troops to an active armed conflict.