Firestorm follows Hegseth as he dismisses pilots who buzzed Kid Rock

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday he was lifting the suspension of a pilot crew that flew an Apache helicopter near Kid Rock's Nashville home over the weekend.

Hegseth posted "No punishment. No investigation" on X, drawing immediate criticism from military analysts and observers.

President Donald Trump said during an Oval Office press conference that he would "look at" the suspension, suggesting pilots may have acted because they liked Kid Rock.

Military veteran John Jackson accused Hegseth of immunizing behavior that violated DoD regulations, federal law, and the First Amendment, calling it "an acute crisis."

Retired Navy intel officer Travis Akers called Hegseth "a disgrace," while Atlantic staff writer Tom Nichols criticized Hegseth for overruling the Army. Reuters national security correspondent Idrees Ali stressed the military should remain apolitical and independent, and CBS News producer Jim LaPorta questioned whether Hegseth's actions represented actual policy.

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