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Kid Rock kicked off Memorial Day with a special message honoring those who gave their lives while fighting for America.
“This Memorial Day we are remembering the sacrifice and service of so many who are not with us today. It’s a special day, and we’re thinking of them,” the rockstar said. “Once again, I wanted to say thank you. God bless all of you for your sacrifice, for your service. Keep on Kid Rockin’ in the free world.”
Rock, whose full name is Robert Ritchie, has long been synonymous with Americana and patriotism, something that he has not shied away from. An outspoken supporter of the U.S. military, Rock has participated in multiple tours with the United Service Organizations (USO), entertaining troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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The “Bawitdaba” singer recently told Fox News’ Will Cain that his patriotism took on a new form after meeting sailors who survived an al Qaeda attack on the USS Cole.
“It really started with the bombing of the USS Cole,” Rock said. “They were playing my music when that ship got towed out of the harbor and 17 sailors lost their lives. So, we ended up playing a show in Virginia and giving all that money to those families.”
He told Cain that honoring U.S. troops has “really been some of the toughest work I’ve ever done, but hands down the most rewarding and something that I couldn’t be more proud of.”
Rock has also been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and has appeared with the president on several occasions. He performed at the 2024 Republican National Convention just days after Trump was shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa.
Patriotism is a key theme of his current tour, “Freedom 250,” which is taking him through several states as he performs with guests Jon Pardi, Big & Rich, Parker McCollum, Brantley Gilbert and Them Dirty Roses.
The “All Summer Long” singer found himself at the center of a controversy back in March after a video of two AH-64 Apache helicopters flying above his Tennessee residence, which he calls the “Southern White House.” The social media video led to an Army investigation and the suspension of the crew who carried out the flight. However, War Secretary Pete Hegseth later lifted the suspension and ended the probe.
“Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots.
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One month after the unplanned flyover in Tennessee, the singer joined Hegseth in D.C. for a private ride in military helicopters. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell gave more details on the meetup in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
“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,” Parnell said.
“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,” he added.
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In a post on X with photos of the experience, Hegseth called Rock “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 secretary wrote.
Hegseth’s post celebrating the experience drew backlash, with some critics painting it as taxpayer-funded joy rides and others pointing out the cost of flying Apache helicopters.
While speaking with Cain, Rock said that the criticism was “just noise” and that he did not feel a need to “prove” himself to critics.
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“I’ve been there for our military and stood up, you know, spending two Christmases and a Thanksgiving there years ago, on and on every war-torn country, I could name countries for days. It’s all on the Internet. It’s all there. But yeah, people don’t have a leg to stand on,” the singer said.
As Americans across the country mark Memorial Day, Rock’s message echoes the theme of the day and the reason the country is taking a moment to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Fox News Digital’s Madison Colombo and Tracy Wright contributed to this report.