"We’ll send your uncles, cousins and sons to fight Russia," Carlson quoted Austin as saying during a classified briefing to the House of Representatives earlier this week.
Questioned by billionaire businessman Elon Musk on the veracity of Austin’s threat, the former Fox News host emphasized that the report was true. "[Austin] really did. Confirmed," Carlson underscored.
The Biden administration held classified briefings with members of Congress to inform them about the situation in Ukraine, in an effort to rally support behind the supplemental funding request with aid for Ukraine.
The Defense Department has warned that the United States risks running out of resources to support Ukraine and backfill its own defense stocks without further congressional action.
Earlier Thursday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated to reporters that the US currently is not in any position to make "promises" to Ukraine about continued military assistance.
The acknowledgement came just hours after Senate Republicans blocked a procedural effort that would have paved the way for a vote on the supplement aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. GOP members have repeatedly stated that no additional aid would be cleared should it fail to meet the party's requests for added security at the US-Mexico border.