U. S.
Capitol Police arrested an active-duty Air Force major on Wednesday afternoon after he staged a solo uniform protest on the House steps calling for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump.
Authorities took Maj. Jason Watson into custody at approximately 1:15 p.
m.
local time on charges of crowding, obstructing, and incommoding, according to statements from the Capitol Police reported by Military Times and NBC News.
Official regulations generally prohibit the public from demonstrating on the House steps unless accompanied by a member of Congress, though protesting remains legal in other designated areas of the Capitol grounds.
Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat, initially escorted Watson halfway up the steps to a chained railing where the major held a sign reading "Impeach Convict Remove."
Capitol Police officers gave lawful orders to stop the illegal demonstration once the lawmaker departed the immediate area, but the officer refused to comply before being peacefully detained.
Prior to the demonstration on the steps, Watson spoke at a press conference organized by the Removal Coalition alongside Green, constitutional lawyer Bruce Fein, and several veteran organizations.
"I’m here with him because Rep. Green is the only member of Congress that has demonstrated the courage and conviction to ...
force a vote on articles of impeachment," said Watson during the press event.
The major clarified that he is not a Democrat and does not share policy positions with Green, who lost his re-election bid earlier this year.
"If Congress followed his example, we could remove the entire Trump administration, but Congress remains unconvinced of the urgency and necessity for them to honor their oaths, so we must persuade them with our unrelenting, uncompromising civil resistance," Watson added.
Watson entered active duty in May 2009 and currently serves as a logistics readiness staff officer based in Bydgoszcz, Poland, according to Air Force details.
"For the past 18 months, we the people have allowed the highest levels of the executive branch of the federal government to violate our Constitution and their oaths to it with impunity," Watson stated during his speech.
The major specifically criticized the administration's military interventions abroad, citing actions taken in Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran as unauthorized overreaches.
"When the President of the United States orders military action against foreign countries absent an emergency scenario where American interests are under imminent dire threat, as was done with Venezuela, Cuba and Iran, that’s an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’s authority and a violation of the War Powers Clause," Watson said.
Watson linked these foreign policy maneuvers directly to military casualties and argued they constituted clear grounds for removing both the president and Vice President JD Vance.
"These violations resulted in the deaths of 13 service members and injuries of hundreds more," Watson said regarding the casualties linked to the conflict in Iran.
The officer also criticized immigration policies, domestic protest responses, and the involvement of private figures like Elon Musk in federal government operations.
"For this, the president and vice president must be impeached, convicted and removed," Watson asserted.
The major concluded his public remarks by calling on citizens to exercise their constitutional rights until the administration is removed from office.
"I am calling on average Americans everywhere to peacefully exercise your First Amendment rights en masse every day until this administration is removed and our democratic republic is restored," Watson stated.
Watson expressed hope that ordinary citizens would join the effort to protect the nation's democratic foundation.
"If just a nobody like me can take a stand for our Constitution and our democratic republic, then you can too.
I hope you will join me in the defense of our republic," Watson concluded.
Organizers stated that Watson had approached the coalition in February to plan the event while on leave from his overseas military assignment.
"The question of whether or not his sacrifice, his risk of prosecution, his potential forfeiture of the benefits of an entire [over 20] year career in the military is worth it is whether you follow through with the pressure that is needed on Congress to impeach, convict and remove," said Jessica Denson, founder of the Removal Coalition.
Active-duty military personnel face strict limitations regarding uniform wear and political activities under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
"Service members must comply with all laws, regulations and policies governing conduct and the wear of the uniform," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.
The military branch emphasized that commanders are responsible for reviewing inappropriate actions and applying necessary administrative or disciplinary accountability measures.
"All Department of the Air Force personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of discipline and professionalism, both on and off duty," the Air Force spokesperson added.
