The U.S. Air Force has filed criminal charges against Maj. Jason Watson for making public remarks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol calling for the impeachment of President Trump. The Air Force confirmed on Monday that the charges include three violations of Article 88, five violations of Article 92, and two violations of Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
The charges follow multiple demonstrations at the Capitol by Maj. Watson, including a protest in early July where he criticized the administration's military actions in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. According to recorded remarks, Maj. Watson stated that these actions were an "unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’s authority" and resulted in the deaths of 13 service members. He was first arrested in July after being escorted to the Capitol steps by Rep. Al Green (D-TX) and was arrested again last week.
Under the UCMJ, Article 88 prohibits commissioned officers from using "contemptuous" words against the president and other high-ranking officials. Article 92 covers the failure to obey orders, while Article 133 pertains to conduct unbecoming an officer. Air Force officials stated that Maj. Watson is currently being held in pretrial confinement and is considered innocent until proven guilty.
The scale of the prosecution involves 10 total counts of UCMJ violations. For an individual officer like Maj. Watson, the outcome of these charges could result in a court-martial, which may lead to a loss of military rank, forfeiture of pay, or dismissal from the service. The Air Force has not yet released the specific evidence it will use to meet the legal threshold for "contemptuous" remarks, which legal experts note is a difficult standard to prove as it requires evidence that speech was insulting or disdainful rather than fair criticism.
A service member would notice the impact of such a case through changes in their job status and legal rights. Maj. Watson is already in pretrial confinement, meaning he has been removed from his regular duties and restricted in movement. The case highlights the knock-on effect of military regulations that prohibit service members from participating in political demonstrations while in uniform or linking their personal views to their military status. What happens next depends on the judicial process; the Air Force stated it will not release further details to protect the integrity of the proceedings, and a date for a court-martial or further hearings has not been reported.