Kid Rock scores ride in Apache helicopter with Trump defense chief: Army sources

Musician Kid Rock scored a ride at Fort Belvoi,r Virginia on Monday when Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave him a trip on an Apache Helicopters, Army sources told investigative reporter Ryan Grim, who posted about it on X.

It has been less than a month since an investigation was launched into military crew members who conducted a low-altitude flyby at Kid Rock's ranch in Nashville. Rock bragged about it on social media, prompting questions about federal resources being allocated for personal use.

Grim explained, "Apaches typically have two pilots, but they went up with one so the boys could each ride shotgun, I'm told. Apache helicopters are not stationed at Ft. Belvoir so [it's] unclear where they came from."

When Grim asked Ft. Belvoir about the ride, the base referred him to Hegseth's office.

The ride comes after a flyover at Kid Rock's Nashville home prompted the Army to suspend the aircrew involved in the stunt. Hegseth swiftly reversed the suspensions.

On March 31, Army spokesman Maj. Montrell Russell said that the Army “confirmed 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.”

It was then that he announced there was an investigation, CNBC reported at the time.

“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,” Russell said.

“The Army takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable,” the spokesman said.

Hegseth then stopped the Army's actions with one tweet, "No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots."

According to Grim, Rock used his own private plan to fly to the Virginia base for the ride.

Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was forced out of his office in 2018 after multiple reports that he was using government helicopters for travel, including one trip to go horseback riding with Vice President Mike Pence that cost taxpayers $39,000, according to the Associated Press.

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price was also forced to resign after he was found to have used private jets for personal use. In that case, the inspector general's probe uncovered trips Price took to Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania aboard private planes that cost tens of thousands of dollars per flight on the taxpayer's dime, ABC News reported at the time.