Air Force Major Arrested After Capitol Impeachment Protest
Air Force Maj. Jason P. Watson, a logistics readiness officer with 17 years of active-duty service, was arrested on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on July 1 after calling for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He now faces both civilian charges and the prospect of a military indictment.
The 49-year-old has served deployments in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, and NATO missions over nearly two decades of service.
Watson was taken into custody by U.S. Capitol Police after he refused repeated orders to stop an unauthorized demonstration on the House steps. He had joined a press conference organized by the Removal Coalition, an advocacy group lobbying Congress to impeach Trump and Vance, and then stepped onto the Capitol stairs holding a sign reading “Impeach. Convict. Remove.” in full Air Force dress uniform.
Capitol Police later said it is generally against the law for members of the public to demonstrate on the House steps unless accompanied by a member of Congress, and that Watson continued protesting after the lawmaker who escorted him left.
Watson was charged under local D.C. law with “Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding,” a misdemeanor offense often used in protest‑related arrests. His actions could trigger additional military discipline, including possible charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for political activity in uniform and conduct unbecoming an officer.
He accused Trump and Vance of violating the War Powers Clause by ordering military action in Venezuela, Cuba and Iran without an emergency or imminent threat to U.S. interests. Watson also condemned policies that, in his view, allowed an unelected mega‑donor to wield sweeping federal authority, led to hundreds of people being detained without due process and sent to a foreign prison notorious for human rights abuses, and sponsored violence against Americans engaged in peaceful protest.
Colleagues say he is not aligned with any political party and framed his actions as a decision to honor his sworn oath to the Constitution over his military career.
Groups like Free Speech For People and the Removal Coalition argue he engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience and should be protected as a whistleblower calling attention to alleged constitutional violations. Military law specialists, however, note that strict rules bar uniformed service members from engaging in partisan political activity, and say the case could set a precedent for how far such rules extend when officers invoke their oath to the Constitution.
As of early July 2026, Watson has not yet been publicly charged under the UCMJ.
A Go Fund Me account has been set up for Maj. Watson.
