Musician Kid Rock has spoken publicly following an incident in which a U.S. Army helicopter flew near his Tennessee mansion.
The Saturday, March 28, incident briefly led to the suspension of the crews involved before Secretary of War Pete Hegseth lifted the disciplinary action.
Speaking on Wednesday, April 1, Kid Rock described the moment as spontaneous and respectful. According to the musician, he was having a morning drink when he saw the military chopper approaching.
Kid Rock gives an account of the incident
He explained that helicopters from Fort Campbell often fly over his property and that he has previously waved to pilots.
“You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house like any time,” he recalled telling them.
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Kid Rock saluted the pilots as they circled back. The musician further criticized those who reacted negatively to the flyover.
“It was a level of respect that I got that no award or record sales could ever do,” he said, adding that he hoped the gesture brightened their day.
“If you’re flipping our military off, you’re on the wrong side of things.”
Military response
The weekend episode unfolded when two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade out of Fort Campbell flew over Kid Rock’s property, known as the “Southern White House,” modeled after the presidential residence in Washington.
Videos posted by the musician showed him saluting one of the helicopters as it hovered near his pool.
Army officials initially said that the incident was under review, noting that crews may have acted outside standard procedures. They later confirmed that personnel involved had been suspended pending investigation.
Hours later, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, in a statement on X, announced the suspension had been lifted, stating: “No punishment. No investigation.”
Kid Rock, however, downplayed the matter, arguing that “they stopped for, I don’t know, seconds, a minute. Maybe they were here three, four minutes, just say what’s up, went on.”
He emphasized that such flyovers were not unusual, referencing past occasions when helicopters flew over Nissan Stadium for football games.
Reaction to social media backlash and Trump’s comments
Kid Rock addressed criticism online, attributing it to what he called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
He highlighted his history of supporting service members, noting that he had visited Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo during the holidays. “I think a lot of these guys and girls know that I’ve done a lot for them because I appreciate what they do for us.”
President Donald Trump had on Tuesday asked about the incident during a press conference in the Oval Office, acknowledged the pilots “probably shouldn’t have been doing that,” but downplayed the seriousness.
“If they like Kid Rock, I like Kid Rock. Maybe they were trying to defend him,” Trump said, prompting widespread reaction online.
Political commentators questioned the remark, with some asking rhetorically what the pilots might have been defending Kid Rock from.
