Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was criticized for calling off the U.S. Army's investigation after MAGA musician Kid Rock posted a video of an Army Apache helicopter doing a fly-by at his Nashville home.
The video shows Kid Rock saluting as the aircraft hovers near his property, standing next to a replica Statue of Liberty by his pool. In the brief clip, a helicopter that appears to be an AH-64 Apache—an attack helicopter used by the U.S. Army and National Guard—flies at low altitude near his estate in Whites Creek.
The Tennessee property covers about 180 acres and includes a large custom-built mansion designed to resemble the White House, a theme long tied to the singer’s public image. In the footage, Kid Rock stands near the pool while the helicopter briefly hovers overhead before flying off.
You can see the video below.
The Army previously said it had launched a review to determine whether any safety rules were violated during the unexpected fly-by. Military aircraft flights are generally carried out as part of routine training rather than at the request of private individuals.
Several key details, however, remain unclear. It has not been confirmed which unit the helicopter belonged to, whether the flight was part of a scheduled training mission, or if there was any coordination with people on the ground. Hours earlier, an Army spokesperson said the crew had been suspended from flying.
In an interview with WKRN, Kid Rock said the pilots fly out of Fort Campbell and that he regularly sees helicopters in the area, noting, “It’s not the first time" they've flown over his property. He recalled speaking to pilots during a Thanksgiving celebration at the military base last year, saying he told them they were “always welcome” to pass by his home.
Hegseth then retweeted Kid Rock's post about the fly-by and announced he had called off the investigation, referring to the pilots as "patriots":
"Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots."
You can see his post below.
@PeteHegseth/X; @KidRock/X
He was swiftly called out.
It sure is nice to know that this is what our taxes are funding.
@huntichon/X
@bigugly/X
