"In a classified briefing in the House yesterday, defense secretary Lloyd Austin informed members that if they don’t appropriate more money for Zelensky, “we’ll send your uncles, cousins and sons to fight Russia.”"
As worded: Austin made ugly threat. Fund Ukraine money-laundering op for us, or else we'll throw USA young people into meat grinder.
If you think Austin only meant "Sadly, events would then force us to send......" - that's you mind-reading, rationalizing.
It's on Austin to correct his words if he misspoke.