Published Jul 7, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
Air Force Maj. Jason Watson was arrested last week after protesting President Trump while in uniform, prompting an Air Force review.
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Published Jul 7, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
An active duty Air Force major's arrest last week on the steps of the House of Representatives came after calling for the impeachment, conviction and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, setting up a legal dispute that sits at the intersection of Capitol protest rules, military political activity restrictions, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Maj. Jason Watson was arrested July 1 by U.S. Capitol Police after standing on the House steps in uniform with a sign reading “Impeach Convict Remove.” He was arrested after speaking at a news conference for Removal Coalition, a grassroots activist group. Capitol Police said Watson was arrested for crowding, obstructing and incommoding under D.C. Code § 22-1307. Watson appeared in military uniform and identified himself as an active-duty service member during the event, which Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas also attended. Green, who initially escorted Watson, left the area and Watson was arrested after he refused orders to stop demonstrating. The arrest was not based specifically on Watson’s criticism of Trump and Vance. Capitol Police said the issue was where he was protesting and whether he complied after officers told him to stop. It is generally unlawful for members of the public to demonstrate on the House steps unless they are with a member of Congress, police added.
