The suspension of the U.S. Army pilots who flew two helicopters near Kid Rock’s residence in Tennessee has been lifted, announced War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. Hegseth stated on social media that there would be no punishment or investigation for the pilots.
Previously, a U.S. Army spokesperson mentioned that the crews of the two AH-64 Apache helicopters had been grounded pending an inquiry into their actions. This suspension was a standard procedure during ongoing investigations, as stated by Maj. Montrell Russell.
The Army confirmed that on March 28, two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell conducted a flight near Nashville that garnered public and media attention. The Army announced on Tuesday that they would assess whether the flight adhered to FAA regulations and aviation safety guidelines.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez had no additional comments regarding Hegseth’s announcement, and an Army spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request for input.
Kid Rock, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, shared on social media a video showing the helicopters flying close to his home. In the video, the singer can be seen saluting one of the helicopters while standing in front of his pool under a sign that reads “The Southern White House.”
Furthermore, military helicopters were sighted flying near demonstrators in Nashville on the same day, engaged in “No Kings” protests denouncing Trump’s deportation policies and actions in Iran, among other issues. Kid Rock expressed his patriotic sentiments above the video, with a visible replica of the Statue of Liberty in the background.
In contrast to many artists, Kid Rock has been an unwavering supporter of Trump since his 2016 campaign. Trump, who referred to the performer as “Bob,” mentioned that Kid Rock has been a long-time friend.
The U.S. military is expected to remain non-political, loyal to the Constitution, and independent of political affiliations. Hegseth has made significant changes within the military structure to align with Trump’s security priorities, including dismissing senior officers and addressing diversity initiatives deemed discriminatory.
Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns about the military being used for political purposes under the Trump administration. Additionally, a non-profit organization advocating for the separation of church and state has filed a lawsuit concerning Hegseth-led prayer gatherings on government premises.