Kid Rock defends Army helicopter flyover at his mansion amid taxpayer funds row

WorldPolitics
2 Apr 2026 • 3:23 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Kid Rock defended a recent flyover by two Army helicopters at his Tennessee mansion, dismissing critics as suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome".
  • The US Army initially suspended the crews involved, but Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth subsequently lifted the suspensions, stating there would be no punishment or investigation.
  • Critics, including veterans' advocates and watchdog groups, condemned the flyover as inappropriate and Hegseth's intervention as a dangerous politicisation of the military and a potential waste of taxpayer funds.
  • The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has called for an investigation into both the flight and Secretary Hegseth's decision to reverse the suspensions.
  • Donald Trump commented on the incident, suggesting the pilots "probably shouldn’t have been doing it" but also expressing his liking for Kid Rock, who referred to Trump as his "commander-in-chief".

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