The secretary of war made the announcement hours after an Army spokesperson confirmed the suspension.

Pete Hegseth lifts suspension of Army aircrew who flew over Kid Rock’s home: ‘No punishment. No investigation’

The secretary of war made the announcement hours after an Army spokesperson confirmed the suspension.

By Kathleen Perricone

March 31, 2026 6:48 p.m. ET

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Kid Rock posted video of the Apache helicopter flying over his Nashville mansion. Credit:

Hours after the U.S. Army announced the suspension of the aircrew who flew over Kid Rock's home, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth now says it has been "lifted."

"@USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED," Hegseth posted on X. "No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots."

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Army Spokesperson Maj. Montrell Russell announced the aircrew had been suspended pending investigation.

"The personnel involved 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," Maj. Russell said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Army takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable," Russell continued.

Representatives for Kid Rock did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

On Monday, Kid Rock (real name: Robert Ritchie) did an interview with local Nashville news station WKRN — from his now-infamous pool deck — and downplayed the situation, after the Army announced it was investigating.

"I think they're gonna be alright, my buddy's Commander in Chief," he boasted, referencing President Donald Trump, whom the rapper has supported for years. "I mean, what are they looking into? They stopped for, I don't know, seconds, a minute? Maybe they were here three, four minutes, you know, just saying, 'what's up,' and then went on."

As Kid Rock continued talking, he hinted at a previous conversation he had with military personnel at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where the 101st Airborne Division that flew over his home is stationed.

"I've told them before up at Campbell, like I said, when I was there with J.D. Vance, our vice president, back in Thanksgiving, I talked to some of them. I said, yeah…" the entertainer trailed off.

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"Yeah, 'cause I see them when they fly the Chinooks [heavy-lift transport helicopter] and they go to Nissan Stadium for the football games," he continued. "They come right over and if I'm here, I usually make it a point to come out and like, you know, give them 'what’s up.'"

Over the weekend, Kid Rock posted a video on social media that showed two U.S. Army Apache helicopters flying over his backyard in Nashville.

One is so close, it's practically eye-level with the rapper, who is standing on the pool deck of his hilltop mansion — a replica of the White House, no less.

Donald Trump and Kid Rock in 2023.

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty

"God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her," Kid Rock captioned the video, which caught the eye of millions, including the U.S. Army.

On Monday, spokesperson Maj. Russell addressed the viral moment and said the military would be investigating.

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"The Army is aware of a video circulating online that appears to show AH‑64 Apache helicopters operating in the vicinity of a private residence in the Nashville area," Maj. Russell said a statement. "Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations. Appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found."

[*This article has been to reflect the pilots' suspension being lifted.*]

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