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Kid Rock Hops On Army Helicopter Weeks After Backyard Flyover Backlash
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MAGA-loving musical artist Kid Rock hopped on board an Apache helicopter with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday, just weeks after causing a commotion by posting a video of an Army aircraft hovering over his backyard pool. The “Bawitdaba” singer didn’t seem worried about sparking another controversy as he and Hegseth posed in front of the chopper with a group of smiling service members. Hegseth bragged about his ride over Washington, D.C., with Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, in a post on X, calling the rapper-turned-country musician a “patriot and huge supporter of our troops.” Joined my friend @KidRock — and some of our great @USArmy Apache pilots — for a ride this morning. (More to come on that!)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… pic.twitter.com/7EyhlaCeUj Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told CNN that the helicopter ride was organized “in support of a Freedom 250th community relations event” where Rock “participated in multiple troop touches with service members and filmed videos for Memorial Day, America’s 250th birthday, and for his Freedom 250 tour.” “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,” Parnell’s statement read. The Apache helicopter from Monday’s flight is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, the same unit as the aircraft that was involved in a minor scandal involving the singer late last month. Back in March, Rock taunted California Gov. Gavin Newsom with a social media post that included video of him saluting Army pilots who swung by the “Cowboy” singer’s Nashville-area estate for a flyover. Following backlash, a U.S. Army spokesperson told The Associated Press that the troops piloting the chopper had been temporarily suspended, pending a review of protocol. Just hours later, Hegseth announced the suspension had been lifted and no further investigation would take place. “Carry on, patriots,” he wrote on X. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.