Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reversed the U.S. Army’s suspension of an aircrew and stopped its investigation just hours after they flew military helicopters near musician Kid Rock’s Tennessee home. The Army had suspended the personnel involved in the Saturday incident from flight duties while reviewing the circumstances. But Hegseth announced that all punishment and inquiry had been called off.
“No punishment. No investigation,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Carry on, patriots.” This decision came shortly after President Trump weighed in on the matter, suggesting he was not too concerned about the flyby. The incident happened when two AH-64 Apache helicopters, operating in the Nashville area from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, flew close to Kid Rock’s home.
According to NBC News, the musician recorded the moment on video and shared it on X. The footage showed him in his backyard, saluting as one helicopter hovered for several seconds and another flew nearby. His post read, “God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her,” and it also included profanities directed at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The post quickly went viral, getting more than 10 million views.
The Army’s investigation was dropped after Trump signaled he wasn’t bothered by the flyby
Initially, the Army took the matter seriously. Major Montrell Russell, a spokesperson for the Army, issued a statement earlier on Tuesday confirming the suspension of the personnel involved. He said the Army was reviewing the mission’s circumstances, including compliance with FAA regulations, aviation safety rules, and approval requirements.
Russell said the Army “takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable.” The situation changed after President Trump was asked about the suspensions during an executive order signing ceremony.
Trump admitted he hadn’t seen the video but said, “I’m sure they had a good time.” He acknowledged the crews “probably shouldn’t have been doing it” because “you’re not supposed to be playing games, right?” But he quickly added, “I’d take a look at it. They like Kid Rock; I like Kid Rock. Maybe they were trying to defend him, I don’t know.”
Hegseth lifted the suspensions and ended the investigation shortly after these comments. Hegseth has faced scrutiny over several of his recent decisions, and he is also set to face tough bipartisan questioning from a House panel over his handling of key issues.
The helicopters were from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The flyby at Kid Rock’s home happened on the same weekend as “No Kings” demonstrations against President Trump that were taking place in Nashville and several other cities, reported CNBC. Apache helicopters were also seen flying over these protests in Nashville. However, a spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division said the helicopters were not related to the protests and that their appearance was “entirely coincidental.”
Kid Rock rose to fame in the 1990s and early 2000s with hits like Picture and All Summer Long. In recent years, he has been vocal in his support for President Trump. He performed at the Republican National Convention in 2024 and visited the Oval Office last year to attend the signing of an executive order aimed at curbing ticket scalping.
More recently, Kid Rock headlined an alternative Super Bowl halftime show last month, an event called the All-American Halftime Show, hosted by Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit group. It served as an alternative to the main Super Bowl halftime show featuring six-time Grammy winner Bad Bunny, which had drawn criticism from conservatives, partly because some parts were performed in Spanish.
This is not the first time Hegseth has made headlines for unusual statements, he previously gave controversial advice to Iranian protesters during active strikes. With Hegseth’s reversal, the aircrew will face no disciplinary action, and the Army’s review into the mission is now officially closed.
Published: Apr 1, 2026 07:00 pm