Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder dodged a question from reporter Tara Copp about how military members feel about the U.S.’s role in Gaza.

Tara Copp: “But is the secretary concerned that this might indicate that there’s a deeper issue, maybe U.S. military being — military personnel being concerned about how weapons and support for Israel is being used on civilians in Gaza?”

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder: “Well, look, from a Department of Defense standpoint, since Hamas’s brutal attacks on October 7th, we’ve been focused on the four key areas that the secretary set out from the onset. That’s protecting U.S. forces and citizens in the region, supporting Israel’s inherent right to defend itself from terrorist attacks, working closely with Israel to support and secure the release of hostages from Hamas.”