War Secretary Pete Hegseth took Kid Rock for a ride in an Apache helicopter on Monday, just weeks after military pilots came under review for hovering outside the musician’s Nashville-area home.
Hegseth shared a photo of himself and Kid Rock standing alongside Army pilots from the 101st Airborne Division, who are stationed on the Kentucky-Tennessee border, outside an Apache helicopter.
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“Kid Rock is a patriot and huge supporter of our troops,” Hegseth said on X. “The War Department is wasting no time celebrating America’s 250th — home of the free because of the brave.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the flight was part of a “community relations event” for Freedom 250, or events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“Robert ‘Kid Rock’ Ritchie participated in multiple troop touches with service members and filmed videos for Memorial Day, America’s 250th birthday, and for his Freedom 250 tour,” Parnell said.
“The visit today provided an opportunity for Kid Rock to thank service members, highlight the professionalism of the men and women supporting the mission, and recognize their continued sacrifice in honor of our nation,” Parnell added.
In March, the Army said it was investigating pilots who hovered Apache helicopters outside of Kid Rock’s home to “verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements.” The Army said at the time it would take necessary action, including suspending the pilots involved, if it deemed necessary.
The investigation was launched after the “All Summer Long” singer shared a video on social media of the up-close moment with the helicopters, using the moment to take a dig at Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) for what Kid Rock called a lack of respect for American troops.
The Army later moved to suspend crews responsible for the fly-by while it further investigated the incident, a move that was quickly reversed by Hegseth.
“Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED,” Hegseth posted on X. “No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots.”
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On the same day Hegseth canned the investigation, President Donald Trump addressed the incident, saying that he understands military personnel should keep it professional, while noting that he and service members “like” the musician.
“Well, they probably shouldn’t have been doing it because you’re not supposed to be playing games, right?” Trump said. “But I’ll take a look at it. They like Kid Rock. I like Kid Rock. Maybe they were trying to defend him. I don’t know.”
