A United States Air Force major is facing a court-martial after being accused of making “contemptuous remarks” about Donald Trump. Maj. Jason Watson (40) is an Air Force Academy graduate and has served his country for 17 years as a logistics officer working on overseas bases.
As per Stars and Stripes, Maj. Watson has been charged under three articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, relating to contempt towards officials (in this case, Donald Trump), dereliction of duty, and conduct unbecoming an officer. The charges stem from an interview Watson gave criticizing Trump, an appearance in uniform at the US Capitol, and an interview on CNN on Aug 17.
Watson accused Trump of trampling on the Constitution, telling CNN, “What is happening with President Trump is not normal. He has failed us. And not only is he a failure as president, he is flagrantly violating the Constitution, breaking the law, engaged in rampant corruption, and is killing Americans. And that is unacceptable to me and it should be unacceptable to all of us.”
“Nothing that is worth doing is something that you can do for free”
He went on to add that he was well aware of the personal consequences for making this statement in uniform, but said: “If I don’t put myself out there in a big way, it’s just noise… We can change what is happening in our country if we’re just willing to pay a price for it.” He later added, “Nothing that is worth doing is something that you can do for free.”
Watson has now appeared at a preliminary hearing at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling where he sounded unrepentent, with Stars and Stripes reporting him as telling the court that he loves his country, but “I understand my words made people uncomfortable. I spoke to change something that was wrong.”
His attorney, Christopher Mutimer, has pointed out that since making these statements, Watson has been held in solitary confinement, and argues that after a 17-year career in the military, he shouldn’t be considered a flight risk. Maj. Joshua Wendell, the preliminary officer prosecuting Watson, countered that solitary confinement is the only option, claiming that he can’t be held with civilians and that this is the only option on the base.
Mutimer compared Watson’s case to that of former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who faced similar charges in 2021 after publicly criticizing superiors in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Scheller eventually received the relatively light punishment of a letter of reprimand, the forfeit $5,000 of one month’s pay, and was praised by then-Fox News host Pete Hegseth as showing “the kind of backbone the vast majority of politicians wouldn’t.”
Scheller is now Pete Hegseth’s “senior adviser of personnel and readiness” at the Pentagon. Watson however, has no illusions about continuing his career after speaking out against Trump, simply saying: “I have no expectations to continue to serve.”
Published: Sep 21, 2026 02:31 am