MAGA musician Kid Rock has delivered the Department of Defense’s Memorial Day speech.
The rocker has become embroiled in a bizarre bromance with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after they sparked fury with a pair of stunts using AH-64 Apache Helicopters.
The “Don’t Tell Me How to Live” singer stood behind a Pentagon press podium wearing sunglasses, a zip-up hoodie, and a large chain to deliver an official message to mark a day when the nation remembers its fallen service members.
“Hey everyone, this is Kid Rock,” the 55-year-old said, as images of troops and American military equipment flashed across the screen. “On this Memorial Day, we are remembering the sacrifice and service of so many who are not with us today. It’s a special day.
“We’re thinking of them. Once again, I wanted to say thank you. God bless all of you for your sacrifice, for your service. Keep on Kid Rocking in the free world. God bless you all.”
His closing words bore a curious resemblance to the lyrics of Neil Young, a persistent critic of President Donald Trump, in his song “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
Last year, Young released “Big Crime,” which includes the lyrics “There’s big crime in D.C. at the White House,” and has previously brought a lawsuit against Trump for the use of his music at campaign rallies.
The Canadian-American has also called him “the worst president in the history of our great country.”
Real name Robert Ritchie, Kid Rock and Hegseth’s unlikely bromance saw the buddies take a ride in a pair of Apaches, each worth upwards of $50 million, out of an Army airbase in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in April.
Dropsite News reported that, despite normally having two pilots, they went up with just one to make room for the men. The stunt was filmed to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, TMZ reported.
“Today, Army helicopters operated in the National Capital Region in support of a Freedom 250th community relations event,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the Daily Beast.
“As a part of that event, Robert ‘Kid Rock’ Ritchie participated in multiple troop touches with service members and filmed videos for Memorial Day, America’s 250th birthday, and for his Freedom 250 tour… The visit today provided an opportunity for Kid Rock to thank service members, highlight the professionalism of the men and women supporting the mission, and recognize their continued sacrifice in honor of our nation. The Department is grateful for Kid Rock’s long-time support of our troops.”
In March, Kid Rock also got up close and personal with another Apache in a bizarre stunt that saw two fly by his Nashville, Tennessee, home as he saluted them.
“God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her,” the rap-rocker said.
The pilots who carried it out were suspended, but just hours later, Hegseth stepped in and reversed the order.
The administration’s confusing messaging around the loss of military lives comes after Trump said he gets a “kick” out of 13 U.S. service members having been killed in the fighting with Iran.
“You lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in these various wars,” Trump told Fox News. “In two wars, Venezuela, where we lost nobody, and here—we lost 13 people. Now, 13 people is 13 too much, but we lost 13 people. In other wars, you lost hundreds of thousands of people.
“So, people don’t like it when you say, ‘Oh, do you know you’ve lost 13.’ We’ve lost, in two major wars—we took over Venezuela, we essentially took over Iran—and we’ve lost, so far, 13 people. Somebody else would’ve lost 100,000 people, Okay?
“But I get a kick when I look at somebody on television [and they say], ’He’s lost 13 people. I lost 13 people. They lost 13 people leaving an airport. Obama. Thirteen very good people that I got to know their families.”
