Hegseth says ‘no punishment’ for helicopter aircrew that flew near Kid Rock’s house
by Phil Stewart
March 31 (Reuters) – Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that the suspension of aircrews on two U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters flying near the home of singer Kid Rock over the weekend has been lifted.
His comments came after a US official told Reuters that the aircrew had been suspended following the move.
“Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots’ suspension has been REMOVED. No punishment. No investigation. Move on, patriots,” Hegseth wrote to X.
On Saturday, Rock posted a video on X showing two Apache Apache helicopters flying near his home in Nashville, Tennessee. Standing in front of the swimming pool, the singer is seen greeting one of the helicopters.
Military helicopters were also seen flying close to demonstrators in the city participating in organized protests denouncing Trump’s aggressive deportation efforts, war in Iran and other policies.
The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide further details about the suspension. Reuters reported on Monday that the Army was investigating the incident, and an Army spokesman contacted by Reuters on Tuesday declined to comment further.
“Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism and established flight regulations. An administrative review is ongoing to evaluate the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements,” U.S. Army spokesman Maj. Montrell Russell said in a statement Monday. he said.
“If any violations are detected, appropriate action will be taken. No further comment will be made until the review is completed,” Russell added.
The U.S. military is supposed to be apolitical, loyal to the U.S. Constitution, and independent of any party or political movement.
Since being sworn in last year, Hegseth has moved swiftly to reshape the military, firing top generals and admirals to implement Trump’s national security agenda and eliminate diversity initiatives he calls discriminatory.
Democratic lawmakers have warned that the Trump administration is increasingly trying to use the military for political gain.
In his post about the helicopters, Rock lashed out at Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, adding: “God bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend it.”
More than 3,200 events were planned in all 50 states as part of the anti-Trump “No Kings” protests over the weekend. Local news reported that thousands of people attended the protests in Nashville.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Nia Williams)
