A new detail has emerged about Gen. Randy George's sudden exit as US Army Chief of Staff. Days before Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth removed him from the post, George was reportedly advised to stop an Army investigation into a low-flying helicopter incident involving musician Kid Rock.
On March 28, two Army AH-64 Apache helicopters flew at low altitude near Kid Rock's property in Tennessee. The Army had opened an administrative review to find out whether the pilots had broken any safety rules.
George, however, wanted the matter handled through the usual process. He believed the Army should complete its review and establish whether any regulations had been breached, according to The Washington Post.
That is when Gen. Chris LaNeve, then the Army's No. 2 officer, is said to have approached George.
The report said LaNeve told George that Hegseth did not want the investigation to continue. George later spoke about the conversation with colleagues and appeared concerned by what had happened.
The new detail could add to questions around why George was asked to retire early on April 2. Hegseth has never publicly given a clear reason for removing him, even after lawmakers from both parties pressed for an explanation.
The timing also matters for LaNeve, who has been serving as acting Army chief since George left. He is now in the running to take the job permanently.
The Army had initially grounded the pilots and started the investigation after video of the flyby appeared online. Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, later praised the military action and also used the post to take a swipe at California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The situation changed quickly. Hegseth ended the Army's investigation and cleared the aircrews, telling them to “Carry on, Patriots.”
A few weeks later, Hegseth and Kid Rock were seen flying together in Apache helicopters from Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Hegseth's spokesman said the flight was part of a wider community relations event.
LaNeve's possible nomination to become Army chief is already facing trouble on Capitol Hill. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is reportedly against his appointment. Without Democratic support, LaNeve would need all Republicans on the committee to back him.
Hegseth has defended LaNeve, calling him “precisely the kind of leader the U.S. Army needs right now” and saying he is “not interested in playing politics in Washington.”
The new report could now put even more focus on LaNeve's role in the Kid Rock investigation, as questions continue over George's abrupt departure.
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