Army Chief reportedly urged to drop Kid Rock helicopter probe before firing

Reports indicate that Gen. Randy George, the former Army chief of staff, was advised to halt an investigation into an Apache helicopter flyover at musician Kid Rock’s Tennessee estate shortly before his dismissal.

In late March, two AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division performed a low-altitude maneuver near the Nashville-area property of Robert Ritchie, known as Kid Rock. The incident, which was captured in video footage shared by the musician, prompted an initial Army review and the suspension of the involved pilots.

According to sources cited by The Washington Post, Gen. Chris LaNeve, the Army’s then-second-highest-ranking officer, reportedly informed George that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wanted the inquiry stopped. George, who was removed from his position on April 2 without a public explanation, reportedly believed the Army should follow standard procedures to determine if safety rules were violated.

Defense Secretary Hegseth ultimately shut down the probe and cleared the aircrews. Following the incident, Hegseth later flew in an Apache helicopter with Kid Rock at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.