‘Spoke to change something:’ Air Force major awaits potential court-martial for Trump impeachment comments

WASHINGTON — Air Force Maj. Jason Watson says he loves this country and wants to make clear his words about President Donald Trump and the administration were not partisan.

“I understand my words made people uncomfortable. I spoke to change something that was wrong,” Watson said Friday during a preliminary hearing at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in his first remarks since being charged with three articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Watson was charged last month under three articles of the UCMJ: Article 88, contempt toward officials; Article 92, dereliction of duty; and Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer.

The article 88 charges stem from an interview Watson gave to the Defenders of Our Republic Substack newsletter in June, a July 1 protest in uniform at the Capitol and an Aug. 17 interview with CNN.

Watson faces three specifications under Article 88 for what prosecutors say were contemptuous remarks about the president, his attorney, Christopher Mutimer, said in a statement at the time. In addition, he is accused of five specifications under Article 92 and two under Article 133.

As Maj. Joshua Wendell, the preliminary officer for the hearing, read the charges to the full courtroom, Watson sternly looked down at the papers in front of him.

The hearing, known as Article 32, is the first step before a service member’s case can be referred to a general court-martial.

“I have no expectations to continue to serve,” Watson said.

Watson, 40, graduated from the Air Force Academy and has served for 17 years. He became a logistics officer and served mostly overseas.

He attracted national attention in July when he stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in his service uniform and called for the impeachment of Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

“Who I am is immaterial,” Watson said at a news conference at the time. “In the grand scheme of things, I’m just a nobody. 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.”

He cited U.S. military involvement in Venezuela, Cuba and Iran as some of the reasons for calling for the impeachments.

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, escorted Watson up the Capitol steps following the news conference. Watson stood alone holding a sign reading, “impeach, convict, remove.”

The government on Friday argued in the hearing this was a partisan event with one political party. Mutimer responded that Watson is not a member of the Democratic Party and argued the only known Democrat at the press conference was Green.

As of July, Watson was assigned to Bydgoszcz, a key defense and air aviation hub in Poland, as a staff officer.

The Air Force subsequently began investigating Watson for potential violations of military law, and he was restricted to Anacostia-Bolling in Washington.

Mutimer said Watson requested to resign from his commission but was denied within 24 hours. The attorney did not specify when the request occurred.

Mutimer also pointed out that his client has been in solitary confinement as he awaits court-martial.

“Maj. Watson has given 17 years and is not a flight risk,” Mutimer said.

Wendell pointed out Watson was placed in confinement because he can’t be confined with civilians, and that limits where he can be on the base.

“He was placed in confinement because of the law, which puts him in solitary confinement,” the preliminary hearing officer added.

The proceeding lasted about four hours in a hot courtroom. One attendee was escorted out of the courtroom after attempting to disrupt the proceeding.

The defense and government had to take a break when questioning Maj. Bethany Evans, the 811th Force Support Squadron Commander, regarding one of the specifications under Article 92 for Watson refusing to wear his physical training gear.

“At the heart of the case is the tension between the first amendment right and the obligation as a military officer,” Wendell said.

Lt. Col. Chris Dunn, with the government, said Watson is not being unfairly singled out and the charges do not come from political pressure.

“This is not personal,” he said.

Mutimer argued as part of the third charge related to conduct unbecoming an officer that Watson during his interview with CNN did not show contempt, and compared Watson’s conduct to that of former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who criticized senior military leaders for the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Scheller was sentenced in October 2021 to receive a punitive letter of reprimand and forfeit $5,000 of one month’s pay after pleading guilty to showing contempt toward officials and related offenses.

The defense showed a video of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when he was a host at Fox News. He told Scheller, “you showed the kind of backbone the vast majority of politicians wouldn’t.”

Scheller currently serves as a senior adviser of personnel and readiness to Hegseth at the Pentagon.

“The law will not make the same word a virtue in one officer’s mouth and a felony in another’s,” Mutimer said.

Wendell asked, “Where is the anchor? Which is the right outcome? Was that case properly disposed of, and how do I determine that?”

Mutimer pointed out Scheller’s situation happened during the Biden administration. Scheller also faced six charges at the time, which is fewer than his client.

“If you’re looking for an anchor, you’re trying to make two scales become equal,” Watson’s attorney said.

The government and the defense will have time on Monday and Tuesday to file objections.

Wendell will file his report in eight business days.

“I want to articulate, I’ve done it a few times,” he said. “Don’t take any questions or statements of mine about where I’ll land. I don’t know where I’ll land until reviewing the evidence and the law.”