Technically he may he correct.
He said “United States”.
Not “United States of America”, nor “United States military forces”. Just “United States”.
There is technically no such thing as the “United States”. Its the “United States of America”.
Just saying, this is what they do to claim technically they didn’t lie. Words are chosen very explicitly and deliberately.
Maybe... but it’s still a lie and an evasion of the truth. After all, what is a lie but an effort to deceive and mislead?
Are you one of those "am I being detained? I am traveling, not driving" nuts?
The preamble to the United States constitution literally starts out, "We the People of the United States..."
If the Constitution calls us the United States (which it does, throughout) then I think the shorthand is ok.