Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday the Army pilots who flew Apache helicopters over Kid Rock’s Nashville-area home were no longer suspended and the incident would not be investigated.
Hegseth reposted a video from Kid Rock, thanking the longtime supporter of President Donald Trump and saying the pilots’ suspension was lifted.
“No punishment. No investigation, Carry on, patriots,” he posted on X.
The Army said earlier Tuesday it had launched an investigation and suspended the crews involved in the flyby. When asked for comment on Hegseth’s post, the Army referred CNN to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which did not provide any additional comment.
Trump was nonchalant about the incident earlier Tuesday, denying that he saw the video but adding, “I’m sure they had a good time.”
Pressed by reporters on the suspensions, Trump said, “Well, they probably shouldn’t have been doing it, yes, you’re not supposed to be playing games, right? But 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.”
Maj. Montrell Russell said the personnel involved in the Saturday incident “have been suspended from flight duties while the Army reviews the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements.”
Russell added that “the Army takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable.”
The crews who flew the two AH-64 Apache helicopters are part of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
A spokesperson for the 101st Airborne Division told CNN in a statement Monday that a review was underway and that “appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found.”
“Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations,” Maj. Jonathon Bless said.
In the first video that Kid Rock posted Saturday, the musician salutes a helicopter that briefly hovers by a swimming pool outside his home, dubbed “The Southern White House.” In another video, he pumps his fist as two helicopters fly by him.
“This is a level of respect that sh*t for brains Governor of California will never know,” Kid Rock said in the post, referring to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has sparred repeatedly with Trump.
“God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her,” he added.
CNN has reached out to the Creative Artists Agency, which represents Kid Rock, for comment.
The musician has frequently quarreled with Newsom on social media, with both men taunting each other in posts. Newsom jokingly “banned” Kid Rock from California earlier this year in an X post.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
Source: edition.cnn.com