Major Jason Watson, an active-duty U.S. Air Force logistics readiness officer, was arrested on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on July 1, 2026, after delivering a speech calling for President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to be impeached, convicted, and removed from office.
Watson, who enlisted in 2005 and has spent 17 years in the military, stood in uniform holding a sign reading “Impeach Convict Remove” before Capitol Police took him into custody. He was charged with crowding, obstructing, and incommoding after refusing lawful orders to cease demonstrating in an area where protests are prohibited unless participants are accompanied by a member of Congress.
Initially, Watson had been escorted to the House steps by Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green. When Green left the area, Capitol Police officers gave Watson lawful orders to stop the demonstration or face arrest, according to a statement from U.S. Capitol Police. Watson declined to leave, and officers arrested him as he stood on the steps.
In a video statement released before his arrest, Watson addressed the constitutional oath he took as a military officer. “The president and vice president must be impeached, convicted and removed,” he said. Congressman Green later told reporters that Watson’s action represented “the kind of courage necessary to inspire others.”
Watson is a decorated officer with more than a dozen military medals and decorations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Defense Meritorious Service Medal. According to the Air Force, he has spent much of his career stationed in Europe, working with NATO allies. He is currently on leave from his commission post as a logistics readiness officer in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where he has served in various capacities over his 17-year tenure.
John Bonifaz, president and co-founder of Free Speech For People, praised Watson’s action as an act of civil disobedience. “His willingness to risk his own freedom stands in stark contrast to those who continue to look away as President Trump commits unprecedented abuses of power,” Bonifaz said in a statement. “Congress has both the authority and the constitutional obligation to act to impeach and remove Donald Trump from public office.”
Democratic Representative Chrissy Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, also commended Watson’s courage. “It says a great deal about the conviction of Major Watson that he is willing to make this statement while in uniform,” Houlahan told Newsweek. “He is undoubtedly aware of the consequences of his actions and is willing to sacrifice likely his career and possibly his freedom for his beliefs.”
The arrest marks a rare instance of an active-duty military officer publicly calling for a president’s removal while in uniform. In April 2026, roughly 60 veterans and military family members were arrested at the Capitol during a protest against the Iran war, but those were former or retired military members, not active-duty commissioned officers. Watson’s action appears to be unprecedented among serving officers.
An arrest alone does not automatically result in removal from the Air Force, according to military law experts. However, Watson could face administrative separation, disciplinary action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or other consequences depending on the outcome of his civilian case and whether military authorities determine he violated Air Force regulations governing political activities by active-duty service members.
Sources
- Newsweek — Watson’s arrest, Capitol Police statement, his military background and decorations, Rep. Houlahan’s statement, and analysis of potential military consequences
- Free Speech For People — John Bonifaz’s statement and Watson’s arrest as civil disobedience
- CNN, The Hill, Reuters Connect — Confirmation of arrest and date (July 1, 2026)
- U.S. Capitol Police — Official statement on Capitol steps protest rules and arrest details
