Political analysts and observers roasted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday after he announced he took a "joyride" with MAGA music star Kid Rock.
"Joined my friend @KidRock — and some of our great @USArmy Apache pilots — for a ride this morning. (More to come on that!)" Hegseth wrote in a post on X. "Kid Rock is a patriot and huge supporter of our troops. The War Department is wasting no time celebrating America’s 250th — home of the free because of the brave."
The move comes just weeks after Army pilots were reprimanded for flying a helicopter near Kid Rock's home in Nashville. Hegseth stepped in after the incident and prevented the pilots from receiving any formal discipline.
Political analysts and observers reacted to Hegseth's announcement on social media.
"This is not g------ Call to Duty," Sandy Bachom, an independent journalist, posted on X. "My uncle is buried in Arlington. He was an Admiral in the Navy in the Pentagon. A great grandfather bought in the Civil War. My uncle dude was shot down by Nazis in 1942. You’re a disgrace."
"Unqualified DoD Secretary Hegseth should be FIRED!" Sharon Carbine, a political commentator, posted on Bluesky.
"Well, as long as you boys are having a good time while the country's at war, that's what really matters," Tom Nichols, a staff writer at The Atlantic, posted on X.
"This idiot took a joy ride in multimillion-dollar attack helicopters that aren’t even based there. Hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted for a photo op with a washed-up loser…and Kid Rock," political candidate Fred Wellman posted on X.