The U.S. Air Force said on Thursday that it would investigate an active-duty officer who called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a protest outside the U.S. Capitol.
Footage of the protest shows Maj. Jason Watson, dressed in uniform, standing on the steps of the Capitol building while holding a sign calling to “impeach, convict, [and] remove” Trump and Vance. Watson was subsequently detained by officers at the scene.
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said in a post on X that he was aware of reports about Watson’s involvement in the protest, though he did not mention the officer by name.
Meink said a probe into the officer’s conduct “will proceed unimpeded,” noting that the Air Force treats misconduct allegations seriously, including those that may undermine the military’s nonpartisan nature.
“Let me be clear: I expect every Airman and Guardian to comply with all laws and policies governing personal conduct, political participation, and the wear of the uniform,” he said.
“Americans place their trust in us. We cannot, and will not, compromise the trust of the Nation.”
Laws governing U.S. military service members place restrictions on their political activities, particularly while in uniform. Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice also prohibits officers from using “contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress,” and other U.S. representatives.
During the protest, Watson called the military actions ordered by Trump against Venezuela and Iran “an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’s authority and a violation of the war powers clause,” saying that they led to the deaths of 13 service members during the Iran war.
“For this, the president and vice president must be impeached, convicted, and removed,” he said. “What matters far more than who I am is what I have to say and the price I’m willing to pay to say it.”
At one point in the video, a Capitol officer instructed Watson to stop as he stood on the steps of the building holding the sign. He refused and ended up being taken away by officers while the crowd could be heard chanting “impeach, convict, remove.”
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who was present during the press conference outside the U.S. Capitol, posted a video on X commending Watson’s actions as “a kind of courage necessary to inspire others.”
“I just left the Capitol grounds, and I was there to witness a major in the United States military bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice,” Green said.
The Epoch Times was unable to determine whether Watson has a legal representative.
Reuters contributed to this report.
