Hegseth says Army aircrew who flew helicopters near Kid Rock’s home won’t be punished

There will be no punishment and no investigation after two Army military helicopters were flown by Kid Rock’s house over the weekend, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.

The Army had suspended the aircrew in Saturday’s incident, a U.S. official said earlier Tuesday, but Hegseth announced Tuesday evening that no suspension or punishment would be forthcoming.

“No punishment. No investigation,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Carry on, patriots.”

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The Army said Monday that “Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations” and that an administrative review was underway.

The Army did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening about the lifted suspensions or that review.

On Saturday, musician Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, posted a video on X showing him standing in the backyard of his Tennessee home as a military helicopter hovered for several seconds and another flew close by.

“God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her,” read a post accompanying the video. He also used profanities to lambaste California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the post, which has been seen more than 10 million times.

President Donald Trump was asked Tuesday afternoon about the aircrew suspensions and did not appear overly concerned.

“I didn’t see it, no, but I’m sure they had a good time,” he said of the video when he was asked at an executive order signing ceremony.

“They probably shouldn’t have been doing it. You’re not supposed to be playing games, right?” Trump said. “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.”

The Army identified the aircraft as AH-64 Apache helicopters operating in the Nashville area and said that “appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found.” A military spokesperson said Monday that the helicopters flew from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to the Nashville area.

“Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations,” the Army said in a statement Monday. “An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements.”

A spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, said that the flying helicopters were not related to Nashville’s “No Kings” protests over the weekend and that they were “entirely coincidental” with the demonstrations.

Kid Rock, who rose to fame in the 1990s and early 2000s for hits including “Picture” and “All Summer Long,” has resurfaced in the cultural zeitgeist in recent years after he became an outspoken supporter of Trump.

In 2024, he performed at the Republican National Convention, and last year, he was in the Oval Office for the signing of an executive order to curb ticket scalping.

Kid Rock headlined an alternative Super Bowl halftime show last month, hosted by the late Charlie Kirk’s conservative nonprofit group, Turning Point USA, dubbed the “All-American Halftime Show.” The performance was held as counterprogramming to six-time Grammy winner Bad Bunny’s halftime show, which drew outsized criticism by conservatives for being in Spanish.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com