The U.S. Army has officially suspended the crew involved in the recent Kid Rock helicopter fly-by, after the rocker posted a video of the unauthorised manoeuvre over his home.
The whole saga kicked off after Kid Rock posted a video of two AH-64 Apache helicopters circling his estate – a place he’s modestly dubbed “The Southern White House.”
Rock captioned the clip: “This is a level of respect that shit for brains Governor of California will never know,” taking a shot at Gavin Newsom. He added, “God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her.”
The video quickly racked up over 10 million views, prompting an official military review. A spokesperson confirmed the aircraft were from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and that an investigation was underway.
Per a statement from the Army, via Rolling Stone, “Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations. An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements.”
This isn’t the first time the musician has dabbled in the political arena. He famously teased a run for the U.S. Senate back in 2017, which ultimately turned out to be more of a publicity stunt. This political posturing is nothing new for Rock, who has long been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump.
So it was no surprise when, in an interview with Nashville news station WKRN, he brushed off the investigation with a nod to his political connections.
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“I think [the pilots are] going to be alright — my buddy is the Commander-in-Chief,” Rock boasted, referring to his well-known friendship with Trump.
Flight-tracking data reportedly showed at least one of the helicopters circled Rock’s property four times over a three-minute period. While the Army has stated the fly-overs were “entirely coincidental,” the suspension of the crew suggests that protocol may have been breached.
