NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Army pilots who hovered two helicopters near Kid Rock’s Tennessee home during a training run while he clapped and saluted have had their suspension lifted, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.

“No punishment. No Investigation. Carry on, patriots,” Hegseth said in a social media post.

Earlier, a U.S. Army spokesperson said the crews of the two AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell were suspended from flying, pending an investigation into their actions. The suspension was a discretionary — but not unusual — step when an investigation is underway, Maj. Montrell Russell said in statement.

The Army would review whether the flight complied with FAA regulations and aviation safety protocol, Russell said in the statement, which he emailed fewer than three hours before Hegseth’s social media post. The Army takes “allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable,” the statement said.

Asked about Hegseth’s announcement, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez said he had nothing to add to the secretary’s social media post. An Army spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kid Rock, who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, told WKRN-TV on Monday that it’s not uncommon for helicopters from nearby Fort Campbell to fly near his home. He said he is a big supporter of the military and he’s performed for troops overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

“I think they know this is a pretty friendly spot,” he said. He noted that last Thanksgiving he was at Fort Campbell, a sprawling Army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Vice President JD Vance. “I’ve talked to some of these pilots. I’ve told them, ‘You guys see me waving when you come by the house?’ I’m like, ‘You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house, any time,’” he said.

Kid Rock posted two short videos on social media Saturday. Each shows a helicopter hovering alongside his swimming pool while the entertainer claps, salutes and raises his fist in the air. One post included a caption by Kid Rock disparaging Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic.

Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump suggested maybe the crews shouldn’t have done it before adding, “I like Kid Rock, maybe they were trying to defend him, I don’t know.”

In the videos, Kid Rock stands next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty and a sign by the pool that reads, “The Southern White House.” His home on a hill overlooking Nashville was built to resemble the White House.

The helicopters were on a training mission when they stopped by Kid Rock’s house, said Maj. Jonathon Bless, public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters also flew over a “No Kings” protest against Trump in downtown Nashville, but Bless said their presence had nothing to do with the protest.

Kid Rock said he thought it was “really cool” that they stopped to hover at his house.

“If it makes their day a little brighter for their service to our country, protecting us, I think that’s a great thing,” he said.

Asked about possible repercussions for the crews, he said, “I think they’re going to be all right. My buddy’s the commander in chief.”

Case 2:25-cv-06502-GJP Document 54 Filed 03/31/26

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Nov. 6, 2023 at 1, Dkt. No. 1-12.) All of this “brought tremendous pain to Jewish students, faculty, and staff.” (Magill, Nov. 10, 2023 at 1.)
On December 8, 2023, EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas issued a sworn charge of discrimination, alleging Penn “engaged in a pattern or practice of harassment based on national origin, religion, and/or race against Jewish employees, in violation of Title VII.” (Comm’r’s Charge, Dkt. No. 1-4.) Specifically, Commissioner Lucas alleged Penn, since November of 2022, failed to provide Jewish faculty, staff and other employees a work environment free from religious harassment. (Id.) She premised her charge on “publicly available information”—including, among other sources, a federal lawsuit against Penn and President Magill’s statements. See (id.).
On July 23, 2025, the EEOC issued an administrative subpoena to obtain from Penn contact information of potential employee victims or witnesses of antisemitic harassment. (Subpoena No. Pa. 25-07, Dkt. No. 1-20); (Tr. of Oral Arg. at 158:5–6, EEOC.) While the EEOC initially considered subpoenaing all Penn employees’ contact information, it decided not to do so, assuming Penn would object on grounds of relevance. (Tr. of Oral Arg. at 15:13–19, EEOC.) The EEOC also believed it could not effectively investigate Commissioner Lucas’s charge by calling 20,000 individuals, (id. at 15:21, EEOC), as it is “short-staffed” and has “tremendous inventory,” (id. at 20:8–9, EEOC.)
Accordingly, the EEOC sought to identify primarily employees “aligned with the Penn Jewish community.” (Id. at 15:24–25, EEOC.) Such employees, the EEOC believed, would be reasonably likely to have information relevant to Commissioner Lucas’s charge. (Id.) The EEOC could not demand from Penn all employees’ contact

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Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is tentatively expected to testify publicly before the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, according to two sources familiar with the plans, in what would mark his first appearance under oath on Capitol Hill since the U.S. conflict with Iran began.

The timing of the hearing has not been finalized and could shift, the sources said. The session will fall under the committee’s routine oversight of the Defense Department and its annual budget request.

MS NOW first reported on the plans for the hearing. 

If it proceeds as planned, the hearing would give lawmakers their first opportunity to question Hegseth in a public, sworn setting about the administration’s handling of the war since the Trump administration first ordered strikes on Feb. 28. There have been calls on Capitol Hill for more detailed answers as the war has stretched on, leading to market turmoil and rising gas prices.  

That pressure has intensified following a classified House Armed Services Committee briefing last Wednesday, after which members from both parties said they were left without a clear understanding of the administration’s strategy. Rep. Mike Rogers, the committee chair, told reporters after the briefing that officials were being “very constrained” and “tight-lipped,” and added that lawmakers “deserve more answers than we’re given.”

Rogers said members sought clarity on planning and potential troop movements but “didn’t get any answers,” describing the briefing as part of a broader pattern of limited information sharing and warning it could have “consequences” for support in Congress if it continues.

The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith, raised similar concerns, saying lawmakers still lack a clear path for how the administration intends to achieve its objectives in Iran. He said there is no detailed plan “from here to there,” and noted discussions about potential troop deployments did not yield “specific answers.”

Other lawmakers have echoed these concerns about both strategy and troop safety. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said his top priority is protecting U.S. forces in what he described as a “very volatile situation,” warning there are “more questions than answers” about how the administration plans to safeguard roughly 50,000 troops in the region.

The push for answers has also been formalized. In a letter sent Friday, all Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee, led by Smith, called for an immediate public hearing with Pentagon officials, citing a “lack of transparency” and raising concerns about shifting objectives, unanswered questions about costs and a potential $200 billion supplemental, and the possible use of U.S. ground forces.

Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden reiterated his opposition to sending ground troops, saying he has been “100% crystal clear” on that position, even as he voiced support for ensuring the military has the resources needed to operate in the region.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday downplayed concerns about the flow of information, telling reporters he has been “constantly briefed” before and during the operation and remains in regular contact with top administration officials, including the president. He added he would work to ensure Rogers receives any additional information he needs.

The expected testimony comes as the conflict enters its second month with no clear resolution. Hegseth said Tuesday that the “upcoming days will be decisive,” as U.S. officials continue to express confidence in the trajectory of the campaign.

The war is also having broader economic ripple effects. U.S. gas prices have climbed above $4 a gallon for the first time in nearly four years, as instability tied to the conflict and continued disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz weigh on global energy markets.