Watson was ordered into pretrial confinement on Aug. 18, according to the Air Force, and is being held at a county detention facility in Maryland under a military hold. The Air Force said the confinement was based on probable cause involving allegations of continued misconduct but has not publicly identified the specific allegations. Watson remains presumed innocent and is entitled to the protections provided under military justice procedures while the case is reviewed. His attorney has indicated that the timing of the detention, one day after Watson's CNN interview, may be significant, although the Air Force has not publicly linked the detention to the interview.

Watson, an active-duty Air Force major, was arrested July 1 after speaking at a Capitol Hill event organized by the Removal Coalition and calling for the impeachment and removal of Trump and Vice President JD Vance. U.S. Capitol Police said public demonstrations on the House steps are restricted unless participants are accompanied by a member of Congress; Watson was arrested after the lawmaker who had accompanied him left the area. He was initially charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding, although his attorney's office later said the Washington, D.C., criminal charges were declined for prosecution while an Air Force investigation remained open.