‘Carry on, patriots’: US Def Secy Hegseth lifts suspension for Army pilots after 2 AH-64 Apache helicopters fly-by at Kid Rock’s estate
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Carry on, patriots’: US Def Secy Hegseth lifts suspension for Army pilots after 2 AH-64 Apache helicopters fly-by at Kid Rock’s estate")
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) looks on alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reversed the suspension of Army pilots who performed a fly-by at Kid Rock’s estate, halting investigations into whether the manoeuvre violated aviation safety protocols or regulations.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has lifted the suspension of Army pilots involved in a weekend helicopter fly-by near the home of musician Kid Rock, ruling out any disciplinary action or further investigation.
The decision, announced on Tuesday (March 31), reverses an earlier move by the Army to suspend the crew pending a review into the incident, which saw two AH-64 Apache helicopters fly in the vicinity of the singer’s Nashville property.
“Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots,” Hegseth wrote on social media platform X, confirming the abrupt end to the inquiry.
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The aircraft, part of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was operating in the Nashville area on Saturday when it passed near the residence of Kid Rock - whose real name is Robert James Ritchie - a property he has dubbed the “Southern White House”.
Earlier in the day, the Army had confirmed that the personnel involved had been grounded while officials examined whether the flight complied with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, aviation safety protocols and standard approval procedures.
Army spokesperson Major Montrell Russell said at the time that the service takes “any allegations of unauthorised or unsafe flight operations very seriously” and is committed to maintaining strict standards and accountability. He added that details could not be disclosed while the review was ongoing, a process that has now been halted following Hegseth’s intervention.
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The episode drew public attention after Kid Rock shared a video of the fly-by online, praising the pilots while aiming at political opponents. The singer, a long-time ally of former president Donald Trump, has remained an outspoken figure in conservative circles and recently staged an alternative halftime performance in protest of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl appearance.
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The Pentagon has not elaborated on the circumstances that led to the initial suspension or the decision to rescind it, leaving questions over protocol and oversight unanswered.
