The U.S. Army has opened an administrative review after two AH-64 Apache helicopters did a flyby of Kid Rock’s Nashville-area home.
Footage of the unusual flyby, which happened during a training run, spread rapidly online after the musician shared videos of the encounter. In the clips Kid Rock shared online, he stood beside a pool, clapping and saluting as the aircraft hovered nearby.
Army says no request was made for a flyby
Kid Rock, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, tweeted the footage on Saturday with a pointed caption. "This is a level of respect," he wrote, "that [expletive] Governor of California will never know. God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her."
In the video, a sign that says "The Southern White House" can be seen hanging above the pool.
However, Army officials said the helicopters were part of a routine training exercise that is often done in the Nashville area. Maj. Jonathon Bless, a public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division, stated Monday that no request had been made for the aircraft to visit the property, according to NPR. The division operates out of Fort Campbell, which sits near the border between Tennessee and Kentucky.
Notably, this reported "routine" training route had the military helicopters passing over the Nashville "No Kings" protest, which drew suspicion from many online. Maj. Bless stated that there was no connection between the timing and location of the training run and the protest.
In a written statement, the U.S. Army stressed that pilots must follow strict guidelines. "Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations," the statement read.
It continued, "An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements. Appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found."
Social media reactions questioned the use of resources
Even so, many people online reacted with skepticism and frustration at what they viewed as a pandering move. Several commenters argued that the flyby appeared wasteful, especially given the cost of operating military aircraft.
Redditor u/JenWess wrote, "Our tax dollars are used to pay for that." u/MelloChai added, "🗣️ The fraud, waste, and abuse is coming from inside."
Others took a more sarcastic tone. One commenter compared Kid Rock’s reaction to "my toddler when the garbage truck slows down and honks just for her." Meanwhile, another called the situation "weird and unnecessary."
Meanwhile, some responses focused on broader concerns about government spending. One post criticized budget cuts to public programs while pointing to the helicopter incident as an example of misplaced priorities.
u/dillasdonuts pointed out the hypocrisy of the situation, saying, "DOGE.gov brought us cuts to research and health funding, national parks, PBS, k-12 education, veterans healthcare, etc. But we have f*cking helicopters flying over this dork's house, $240 million Noem commercial and $172 mil private jets."
@felonytalk tweeted, "The Epstein class is using our military like a child's toy. Literally spending tax money to golf and give Kid Rock a special 'hi'. While we lose our Medicaid and Food Assistance."
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