Hegseth asked top US military general to drop Kid Rock helicopter probe before firing him: Report
Gen. Randy George, the US Army chief of staff who was forced to retire earlier this year, was reportedly asked to drop an investigation into a low-flying helicopter incident near musician Kid Rock’s Tennessee home days before his removal.Gen. Chris LaNeve, who was then the Army’s No. 2 officer and is now serving as acting Army chief of staff, told George that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wanted the probe to be discontinued, The Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.George, however, told colleagues that he believed the Army should complete the investigation in accordance with protocol. He was reportedly unnerved by the interaction with LaNeve, according to the report, which cited two other sources.The development offers a new detail about the circumstances surrounding George’s abrupt departure from the Army.Hegseth asked him to retire effective April 2, without publicly giving a reason for the decision.The controversy stems from a March 28 incident in which two Army AH-64 Apache helicopters flew at low altitude near Kid Rock’s property in Tennessee. The Army initially suspended the pilots and launched an administrative investigation to determine whether any rules had been violated.Hegseth subsequently reversed the decision, lifting the suspensions and saying there would be “no punishment” and “no investigation”.Kid Rock, whose legal name is Robert Ritchie, had posted videos of the helicopters flying near his home and later praised the pilots.Weeks after the incident, Hegseth and Kid Rock were also seen flying together in Apache helicopters from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.LaNeve, meanwhile, has been serving as acting Army chief of staff since George’s departure and is expected to be formally nominated for the post.His potential nomination has faced opposition from Republican Sen Joni Ernst of Iowa, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.Hegseth has defended LaNeve, calling him “precisely the kind of leader the US Army needs right now” and saying he is not interested in “playing politics in Washington”.George had been expected to remain Army chief of staff until 2027, completing the usual four-year term. His removal, along with the departure or impending departure of other senior Army officials, has raised concerns about a leadership vacuum at the service.
