meleagertoo
As this is R&N, even if the Secretary of Defense's answer to a reporter's question did not point out the silliness of the question itself, it's still worthy of a post to note the SecDef response. Going back to the news source, SpacePolicyOnline News reported Sec. Austin's comments as;
"At this point we don’t have a plan to shoot the rocket down. We’re hopeful it will land in a place where it won’t harm anyone. Hopefully in the ocean or someplace like that. I think this speaks to the fact that for those of us who operate in the space domain that there should be a requirement to operate in a safe and thoughtful mode and make sure that we take those kinds of things into consideration as we plan and conduct operations." (emphasis added).
If further factual information about where the rocket body re-entered and impacted, this update (from the same online source, noted in the space law and policy community as to reliability and accuracy of the site's proprietor):
"U.S. Space Command reports that the LM-5B rocket stage reentered over the Arabian Peninsula at approximately 10:15 pm EDT May 8. 'It is unknown if the debris impacted land or water.' Separately, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson criticized China for 'failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.' Reports are that debris fell near the Maldives. China’s Xinhua reported a slightly different time (May 9 10:24 am Beijing Time, or May 8 10:24 pm EDT) and said the 'vast majority' of the rocket disintegrated and the rest of the debris fell in the sea in an area centered at 2.65 degrees North, 72.47 degrees East." (internal quotations in original; links converted to ordinary type)
The apparent sole holder of both expertise and authoritativeness, in the English-speaking world anyway, is a gentleman who also happens to be an astrophysics prof at Harvard. His site on Twtr social media platform is @planet4589. (I've met this gent several times in connection with professional and academic projects of mutual interest, and ladies and gentlemen, Prof. McD. is the real deal, for both expertise and authoritativeness on these sorts of subjects - however lacking this combination may be elsewhere.)
Big Pistons Forever
The contrary assertion, relative to the criticisms your post offers, is that it is the United States which has earned the title of Big Hypocrite insofar as norms of behavior are concerned. If you want more elaboration, look for the Twtr thread of the gent from SWF, Secure World Foundation (with a PhD and title like Policy Administration Director). I don't subscribe to the overall criticism, or any of its primary or logical elements - but it's where the discussion typically winds up.
As long as I've gone pedantic, for current diplomatic content on developing norms of responsible behavior in space check out the website where official comments (positions) by various countries, including United States, on the subject are posted (it's a U.N. deal, originated by the U.K., and currently in progress - if you don't have a seat at the negotiating table you might be surprised to find someone else wound up as the main course on the menu while you're only the soup, or maybe the parsley only).
Report of the Secretary-General on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviors (2021) – UNODA