Politics
US Air Force major faces military charges after calling for impeachment of Trump and Vance
Major Jason Watson was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including a rarely used law against contemptuous language toward elected officials.
The short version
- Active-duty Air Force Major Jason Watson is facing military charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice after publicly demanding the impeachment of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
- The charges stem from Watson's involvement in a July Capitol Hill protest and a subsequent CNN interview in which he criticized the administration over the US-Israel war on Iran.
- Watson remains in pre-trial confinement as the military proceeding moves forward.
Key facts
- Major Jason Watson faces military charges under three articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including Article 88 for using contemptuous words against elected officials.[Al Jazeera]
- Watson was detained in uniform on the steps of the US Capitol in July during a protest organized by the Removal Coalition.[Al Jazeera]
- Following his Capitol detention, Watson appeared on CNN to repeat his calls for Trump's removal, alleging that the president was violating the Constitution and breaking the law.[Al Jazeera]
- The US Air Force confirmed that Watson has been charged, remains in pre-trial confinement, and will receive due process.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The full set of specific charges under the three UCMJ articles, beyond Article 88, has not been detailed in official statements.[Al Jazeera]