Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth took musician Kid Rock on a brief flight in an AH-64 Apache helicopter on Monday afternoon, Pentagon officials have confirmed. The pair flew from Fort Belvoir in separate helicopters for what was described as a 'community relations event'.
The flight comes weeks after Hegseth intervened to lift the suspensions of Apache pilots who had flown over Kid Rock's Nashville-area home in an apparent tribute. That earlier incident prompted questions about flight safety and authorisation.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the flights supported the White House-led Freedom 250 initiative, which coordinates events for America's 250th anniversary. Kid Rock also filmed videos for Memorial Day and his Freedom 250 tour. It is unclear who funded the trip, including whether taxpayers paid.
The AH-64 Apache is the US military's main attack helicopter, costing around $7,000 per hour to operate. Kid Rock arrived at the base in his private jet and returned after the 10-minute flight, according to flight tracking data.
Democrats criticised the flight, with California Governor Gavin Newsom questioning why taxpayers might be funding such trips. Hegseth posted on X praising Kid Rock as 'a patriot and a huge supporter of our troops'.
