Defense

Kid Rock joins Hegseth on Army helicopter ride after fly-by controversy

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by Filip Timotija - 04/27/26 9:45 PM ET

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by Filip Timotija - 04/27/26 9:45 PM ET

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Kid Rock both flew in Army Apache helicopters on Monday in the Washington, D.C., area, weeks after the military came under fire for flying helicopters near the singer’s house in Tennessee.

“Kid Rock is a patriot and huge supporter of our troops. The War Department is wasting no time celebrating America’s 250th — home of the free because of the brave,” Hegseth said in a statement late Monday, posting a photo alongside the singer-songwriter on social media.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon chief spokesperson, told The Hill Monday that AH-64 Apache helicopters were flown in the region for events related to the White House’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence.

“As a part of that event, Robert ‘Kid Rock’ Ritchie participated in multiple troop touches with service members and filmed videos for Memorial Day, America’s 250th birthday, and for his Freedom 250 tour,” Parnell said in a statement.

“At each stop along his tour, Kid Rock has generously pledged 1,000 free tickets for members of the military and veterans,” Parnell continued. “The visit today provided an opportunity for Kid Rock to thank service members, highlight the professionalism of the men and women supporting the mission, and recognize their continued sacrifice in honor of our nation. The Department is grateful for Kid Rock’s long time support of our troops.”

DropSite News first reported on Kid Rock’s flight on the helicopter.

In early March, a pair of similar attack helicopters flew near Kid Rock’s estate in the Nashville area and over the “No Kings” protest that took place in the city that day.

The Army opened an investigation into the flights, conducted by the crew from the 101st Airborne Division stationed at Fort Campbell, and suspended the service members.

Shortly after, Hegseth stepped in and ended the investigation, lifting the suspension.

Some Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) previously told The Hill that the Army should have been allowed to conduct the full probe and weigh out the appropriate discipline.

Kid Rock’s participation in Monday’s event sparked similar scrutiny from the other side of the asile.

Rep, Jason Crow (D-Colo.), who sits on HASC and has been critical of Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon, asked why the defense secretary is “spending your taxpayer dollars to give Kid Rock ‘joy rides’ on Apache helicopters?”

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