Hegseth says suspensions lifted for helicopter crews who hovered over Kid Rock home

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said the crews of two US army AH-64 Apache helicopters that hovered next to the singer Kid Rock’s swimming pool while he clapped and saluted on Saturday are no longer suspended.“No punishment. No investigation,” Hegseth wrote on social media. “Carry on, patriots.”Hegseth’s announcement came just hours after a US army spokesperson said the crews had been suspended from flying pending a investigation.“The army has confirmed that on 28 March, two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell conducted a flight in the Nashville area that has attracted public and media attention,” according to a statement from the army on Tuesday.The army said it was reviewing “the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements”.Kid Rock, a supporter of Donald Trump, told WKRN-TV on Monday it was not uncommon for helicopters from nearby Fort Campbell to fly near his home. He said he was a big supporter of the military. He has performed for troops overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.“I think they know this is a pretty friendly spot,” he said. He said that last Thanksgiving he was at Fort Campbell, a sprawling army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Vice-President JD Vance.“I’ve talked to some of these pilots. I’ve told them, ‘You guys see me waving when you come by the house?’ I’m like, ‘You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house any time,’” he said.Kid Rock posted two short videos on social media Saturday. Each shows a helicopter hovering alongside his swimming pool while the entertainer claps, salutes and raises his fist in the air. One post included a caption by Kid Rock disparaging Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic.Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump suggested perhaps the crews should not have done what they did, before adding: “I like Kid Rock. Maybe they were trying to defend him. I don’t know.”In the videos, Kid Rock stands next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty and a sign by the pool that reads The Southern White House. His home on a hill overlooking Nashville was built to resemble the White House.The helicopters were on a training mission when they stopped by Kid Rock’s house, said Maj Jonathon Bless, public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters also flew over a No Kings protest against Trump in downtown Nashville, but Bless said their presence had nothing to do with the protest.Kid Rock said he thought it was “really cool” that they stopped to hover at his house.“If it makes their day a little brighter for their service to our country, protecting us, I think that’s a great thing,” he said.Asked about possible repercussions for the crews, he said: “I think they’re going to be all right. My buddy’s the commander-in-chief.”