FAFO: Air Force Major Criminally Charged After Calling for Trump’s Impeachment While in Uniform

A US airman who was arrested twice, once on the steps of the US Capitol while calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, was officially criminally charged Monday for his comments, according to a charging document his attorney shared with CNN.

Maj. Jason Watson faces the following charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to the document: three violations of Article 88 for alleged “contemptuous” remarks about Trump, five violations of Article 92 for allegedly disobeying orders and two violations of Article 133 for alleged conduct unbecoming an officer.

The rare Article 88 charges are connected to the Air Force officer’s June interview with the Defenders of our Republic Substack newsletter, his July 1 protest in uniform at the US Capitol, and an August 17 CNN interview.

It can be considered a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to participate in uniform in any overtly partisan activity, such as a political protest, or to use “contemptuous words” against the president and other high-ranking civilian officials. Many low-level offenses of these rules are resolved informally, but Watson’s violations were unusually high-profile.

Watson was first arrested in July while protesting in uniform at the US Capitol, and he was then arrested again last week just days after criticizing Trump again during a CNN interview. One of his attorneys, Chris Mutimer, told CNN that his client was ordered to remain in “pre-trial confinement” — an action analogous to a denial of bond in civilian court — pending legal action against him.

“Not only is (Trump) a failure as president, he is flagrantly violating the Constitution, breaking the law, engaged in rampant corruption, and is killing Americans,” Watson told CNN’s Erin Burnett during the interview. “And that is unacceptable to me.”

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BREAKING — MAJOR FAFO: Traitor US Airman Jason Watson has officially been CRIMINALLY charged within the military and arrested after a NGO-connected stunt where he demanded Trump’s impeachment IN UNIFORM, per CNN

This traitor just got slapped with 10 VIOLATIONS!

Hold… pic.twitter.com/TVrt5vqlCz

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 25, 2026

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Charges have been preferred, which is a formal step. It is not automatic that the case proceeds to trial. The next steps typically involve possible further investigation (e.g., an Article 32 preliminary hearing for more serious cases) and a decision by the convening authority on whether to refer the charges to a court-martial.

• It could be referred to a special court-martial (roughly analogous to a misdemeanor trial, with more limited punishments) or a general court-martial (analogous to a felony trial, with higher potential penalties).
• An Air Force statement indicated that the Air Force District of Washington would oversee the trial if the case is referred to a general court-martial.
• Courts-martial for Article 88 are rare. CNN identified only two convictions under the modern UCMJ since 1951.

His attorney has previously indicated Watson expected the possibility of a court-martial and was prepared for it.
Possible punishment if convicted
No punishment has been determined. Maximum authorized punishments (which a court-martial “may direct”) include:

• Article 88: Dismissal (the officer equivalent of a dishonorable discharge), forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for up to 1 year.
• Article 92 and Article 133: Similar ranges that can include dismissal, forfeitures, and confinement (potentially longer depending on the specific specifications and stacking of charges; some Article 92 violations authorize up to 2 years).

In practice, sentences are often lower than the maximum. Historical examples of Article 88 cases:

• 1965 (Lt. Henry Howe, Vietnam War protest): Dismissal + 1 year confinement (later paroled early).
• 2021 (Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, Afghanistan withdrawal criticism): Plea deal involving pay forfeiture; he resigned without a pension.

A dismissal would end his career (he has ~17 years of service, short of the typical 20 for a full pension), result in loss of most veterans’ benefits, and carry significant collateral consequences. Confinement and forfeitures are also possible.

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BREAKING: US Airman Jason Watson has been hit with MULTIPLE criminal military charges after he called for President Trump to be impeached while in uniform at the US Capitol

He is now IN CUSTODY. FAFO!

The charges are:
– 3 violations of Article 88: Contempt Toward Officials
-… pic.twitter.com/MOd60eNQ8l

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 25, 2026

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