An active-duty military officer just took a public stand against the commander-in-chief on Wednesday. U.S. Air Force Maj. Jason Watson was arrested on the steps of the U.S. Capitol after delivering a speech calling for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump. Per the Washington Times, demonstrating on the Capitol steps is against the law unless the individual is accompanied by a member of Congress.
Watson was initially joined by Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas following a press conference held by the Removal Coalition. Once Green left, police officers warned the major to stop his demonstration, but he refused, leading to his arrest for 22-1307 Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding. A spokesperson for the Capitol Police noted that there are plenty of other spots on the grounds where demonstrating is allowed, but the steps remain restricted.
The incident has sparked discussion about the limits of military conduct. As noted by CNN, Maj. Watson identified himself as an active-duty service member and wore his military uniform during the event. This is significant as service members are generally prohibited from wearing their uniforms while participating in political rallies. Public dissent within the active-duty ranks is rare, as service members are expected to follow orders under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Two rules broken to make a stand
According to military defense lawyers Gonzalez and Waddington, Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice establishes a specific offense applied to commissioned officers who use contemptuous words against senior civilian officials, including the president and vice president. This provision is designed to protect the integrity of civilian authority over the military.
The offense is applied narrowly, requiring both the status of the speaker and the target to meet specific criteria. It covers spoken, written, or symbolic expression that meets the standard of contempt. While private communications might sometimes fall outside this scope, the public nature of a demonstration on the Capitol steps is a completely different story based on the definition.
Watson, who enlisted in 2005 and is currently on leave from his post as a logistics readiness officer in Poland, didn’t hold back during his speech. Per the Washington Times, he accused the administration of violating the Constitution and their oath to it for the past 18 months.
He specifically called for the impeachment of both the president and Vice President JD Vance. He argued that the president violated the War Powers Act by ordering military strikes against Iran and Venezuela without congressional approval or an imminent threat. “These violations resulted in the deaths of 13 service members and injuries of hundreds more,” he said.
Beyond military actions, Watson reportedly raised concerns about the president’s relationship with Elon Musk. He accused the administration of giving Musk, “an unelected mega donor, sweeping authority to shut down large swaths of our federal government, along with unrestricted access to our government databases.”
He went on to say, “These violations exposed every American’s personal sensitive data to leaks and exploitation, illegally terminated tens of thousands of federal civil servants, and crippled support to Americans for medical care and disaster preparedness and, by far most tragically, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of the world’s most impoverished people with inhumanely abrupt cessation of U.S. aid.”
Jessica Denson, the founder of the Removal Coalition, told CNN that Watson reached out to her group because he wanted to speak out. She believes he is risking his career and pension to stand by the oath he swore to the Constitution.
“This is the example of sacrifice that members of Congress need to see and confront,” Denson said. “They need to confront the betrayal of every man and woman in uniform that has put their lives on the line to defend our rights and our freedom over the past 250 years.”
Green did not speak at the press conference, but per CNN shared his thoughts on X, writing, “I just left the Capitol grounds, and I was there to witness a major in the United States military bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice.” It should be noted that Green announced his intentions to introduce impeachment articles against Trump.
Following the arrest, a DC superior court official is reported to have indicated that Watson was released and a case against him would not be filed. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink addressed the situation on X, stating, “I expect every Airman and Guardian to comply with all laws and policies governing personal conduct, political participation, and the wear of the uniform.”
Watson is the first active-duty soldier to protest. However, in April, military veterans took to Capitol Hill to protest against Trump’s war in Iran. Thus, it remains to be seen how this case will be resolved after an Air Force investigation.
Published: Jul 3, 2026 09:48 am