Air Force Major Faces Court-Martial

PHOTO CAPTION: U.S. Air Force Maj. Jason Watson stands on the U.S. Capitol steps in uniform on July 1, 2026, holding a sign calling for the impeachment, conviction and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

An Air Force major who protested President Donald Trump in uniform at the U.S. Capitol has been recommended for a general court-martial on most of the military charges against him, while several other allegations were recommended for dismissal.
Maj. Jason Watson, 40, drew national attention July 1 when he appeared in his Air Force service uniform on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and called for the impeachment, conviction and removal of Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Watson held a sign reading “Impeach Convict Remove” before Capitol Police arrested him for demonstrating on the House steps without a member of Congress present. The civilian charge from that arrest was later dropped.
The Air Force subsequently charged Watson with 10 specifications under three articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Those included three specifications under Article 88, which prohibits commissioned officers from using contemptuous words against the president and certain other senior officials.
Watson was also accused of five violations of Article 92, involving alleged failures to obey orders or regulations, and two specifications under Article 133 for conduct unbecoming an officer.
The case went before Maj. Joshua Wendell during an Article 32 preliminary hearing at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling on Sept. 18.
Watson’s civilian attorney, Christopher Mutimer, now says Wendell has recommended that seven of the remaining specifications proceed to a general court-martial, the military’s highest trial level.
Those include all three Article 88 specifications, two Article 92 specifications involving alleged uniform violations and two Article 133 specifications alleging conduct unbecoming an officer.
At the same time, Wendell recommended dismissing three other Article 92 specifications.
According to Watson’s attorneys, the preliminary hearing officer found no probable cause for two allegations that Watson violated military restrictions on partisan political activity.
He also recommended dismissal of a third Article 92 allegation involving Watson’s authorized leave.
The recommendations are not a final decision.
The case now goes to the convening authority, which will decide whether the remaining charges are actually referred to a general court-martial, sent to a different forum or handled another way.
During the preliminary hearing, Watson argued that his actions were not partisan and that he believed his oath to the Constitution compelled him to speak out.
His attorneys also argued that criticism of elected officials does not automatically amount to contempt under Article 88 and asked that any case that moved forward be handled at a special court-martial rather than a general court-martial.
Military prosecutors argued that Watson crossed the legal and professional boundaries placed on active-duty officers.
The Article 88 allegations stem from public remarks Watson made during an interview in June, his July Capitol protest and an August interview with CNN.
Article 88 cases are uncommon. The provision applies specifically to commissioned officers and prohibits contemptuous words against the president, vice president and several other senior government officials.
Watson is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate who entered active duty in 2009 and has served for approximately 17 years, including as a logistics officer overseas.
He remains accused of the seven specifications recommended for trial. The recommendation itself does not establish guilt, and the convening authority has not yet made the final decision on whether the case will proceed to a general court-martial.