U.S. Air Force charged Maj. Jason Watson with Article 88 contemptuous-words violations over his public criticism of Trump

On August 24, 2026, U.S. Air Force prosecutors formally charged Maj. Jason Watson, a 40-year-old officer with 17 years of service, with ten violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to a charging document his attorney shared with CNN; an Air Force spokesperson confirmed the charges on the record the following day. Watson faces three counts under Article 88 for "contemptuous" remarks about President Trump, five counts under Article 92 for disobeying orders, and two counts under Article 133 for conduct unbecoming an officer. Attorney Chris Mutimer said Watson is believed to be among the first officers of his rank charged under Article 88 in modern military history.

The Article 88 charges are tied to a June interview Watson gave to the Defenders of Our Republic Substack newsletter, a July 1 protest in uniform on the Capitol steps at which he held a sign reading "Impeach. Convict. Remove" and called for the impeachment of Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and an August 17 CNN interview in which he called Trump "not only a failure as president" but someone "flagrantly violating the Constitution, breaking the law, engaged in rampant corruption and is killing Americans." The disobeying-orders charges allege Watson violated Defense Department regulations barring partisan political activity in uniform, improperly wore his uniform at the Capitol press conference, violated leave rules by traveling to Washington, and refused to wear his uniform to work the morning after the CNN interview; the conduct-unbecoming charges cite the Capitol protest and the CNN interview themselves.

Watson was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police after the July 1 protest, though the resulting civilian charges were later dropped; he was detained a second time after the CNN interview and has been restricted to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. An Air Force spokesperson said Watson would continue to be held in pre-trial confinement, adding that "airmen are afforded the right to due process, and considered innocent until proven guilty, in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice." Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in July that he expected every airman to "comply with all laws and policies, government, personal conduct, political participation and the wear of the uniform," and that "we cannot, and will not, compromise the trust of the nation." Mutimer said Watson "stands by the fact that he did this so others wouldn't have to."