Capitol Police Arrest Air Force Major During Impeachment Protest Against Trump

A uniformed member of the United States Air Force was arrested on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday after demonstrating against President Donald Trump and urging Congress to impeach and remove him from office.

U.S. Air Force Major Jason Watson was detained by Capitol Police for protesting in front of the Capitol in violation of rules that forbid demonstrations there unless protesters are accompanied by a member of Congress. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was present prior to Watson’s arrest, but left in the middle of the demonstration.

Social media posts show Watson holding a sign that read, “Impeach, Convict, Remove.” The decorated Air Force major read his military oath to the Constitution, and explained that he believed “the president and [Vice President JD Vance] must be impeached, convicted, and removed” from office.

Although organizers of the event have cited a myriad of reasons for Trump to be impeached, Watson specifically referred to the president’s decision to start an unauthorized war in Iran.

Said Watson:

When the president of the United States orders military action against foreign countries — absent an emergency scenario where American interests are under imminent dire threats, 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 was reportedly arrested for crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.

John Bonifaz, president and co-founder of Free Speech For People, one of the organizations that led the protest Watson took part in, applauded his choice to speak out against the president.

“Major Watson demonstrated today the kind of courage our democracy demands,” Bonifaz said in a statement. “He honored the same oath that every Member of Congress has taken — to support and defend the Constitution. His willingness to risk his own freedom stands in stark contrast to those who continue to look away as President Trump commits unprecedented abuses of power.”

Recent polling demonstrates that, like Watson, a majority of Americans believe there are grounds to impeach and remove Trump from office. A Strength in Numbers/Verasight survey conducted in mid-June found that 53 percent of respondents believed there is ample reason to impeach Trump, while only 39 percent disagreed.

Respondents cited numerous issues as their top reasons why Trump should be impeached. Thirty percent said the measure was justified due to his corruption and self-enrichment, while another 30 percent cited his abuse of power and defiance of court orders. Twenty percent listed the Iran War and other war crimes as their top reason, while 16 percent said the administration’s handling of the Epstein files warranted the president’s removal.