The Department of War shared a Memorial Day message from musician Kid Rock on Monday, reminding Americans about the cost of freedom.
The rock star, known for his patriotism and unapologetic support for President Donald Trump, delivered his remarks from the Pentagon behind a lectern bearing a DOW seal, with an American flag displayed in the background.
&#8220;Hey everyone, this is Kid Rock,&#8221; the video begins. &#8220;And this Memorial Day, we are remembering the sacrifice and service of so many who are not with us today. It&#8217;s a special day, and we are 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 Rockin&#8217; in the free world. God bless you all.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kid Rock delivers Memorial Day reminder about the cost of freedom" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QgHdwpOLilw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Kid Rock, whose legal name is Robert Richie, has become one of the most recognizable celebrity allies of the president, appearing at campaign rallies and conservative events, and performing at high-profile GOP gatherings such as the 2024 Republican National Convention.
The Michigan-born rocker has cultivated an image of blue-collar America, support for the troops, and defiant nationalism that has made him especially popular with conservatives and Republicans.
Kid Rock&#8217;s Pentagon video is the latest of entertainers taking part in Memorial Day tributes honoring fallen service members. Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw, and Lee Greenwood have also linked to patriotic themes and support for the military, while actor Gary Sinise has become closely associated with advocacy for military veterans.
Memorial Day, observed annually on the last Monday in May, is dedicated to commemorating U.S. military personnel who died while serving the country.
&nbsp;

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 4

Kid Rock Delivers Memorial Day Reminder About The Cost Of Freedom

Celebrities

Freedom

Kid Rock

Memorial Day

Politics

War Secretary Pete Hegseth stepped in on Tuesday, lifting the suspension on the Army aircraft crews who flew past musician Kid Rock&#8217;s Nashville mansion, dubbed the Southern White House.
Hegseth shared a post announcing the move, saying, &#8220;Thank you @KidRock. @USArmy pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/KidRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KidRock</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USArmy</a> pilots suspension LIFTED.
No punishment. No investigation.
Carry on, patriots. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/Zqhv1Zx1iG">https://t.co/Zqhv1Zx1iG</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/2039109100282196436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apache-helicopters-kid-rock-house-crew-suspended/">CBS News</a> reported earlier on Tuesday that the Army aircraft crews had been suspended.
According to the news outlet, the crews have been grounded. An Army spokesperson said in a statement that a full review will look into &#8220;the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements.&#8221;
&#8220;The Army takes any allegations of unauthorized or unsafe flight operations very seriously and is committed to enforcing standards and holding personnel accountable,&#8221; Maj. Montrell Russell said.
Two helicopters identified as AH-64 Apaches — coming from Fort Campbell, Kentucky — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-sparks-military-investigation-after-wild-stunt-at-southern-white-house">flew by</a> Kid Rock&#8217;s &#8220;Southern White House,&#8221; where the singer saluted the crew from his pool deck as he stood next to his replica of the Statue of Liberty.
&#8220;This is a level of respect that sh*t for brains Governor of California will never know,&#8221; Kid Rock captioned the <a href="https://x.com/KidRock/status/2037987671671292134?s=20">video</a> he posted of the helicopters that now has more than 10 million views. &#8220;God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her.&#8221;
Since Army officials launched the &#8220;administrative review&#8221; Monday, Kid Rock has spoken out defending the servicemen he was delighted to see.
“It was pretty cool they stopped right there,” Kid Rock told local Nashville station <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/kid-rock-helicopter-pilot-crew-suspended/">WKRN</a>. &#8220;I wasn’t expecting any of that, but I thought it was really neat.&#8221;
The musician, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told WKRN he doesn&#8217;t think the chopper crews will be punished too severely as a result of their actions.
&#8220;I think they’re going to be alright,&#8221; Kid Rock said. &#8220;My buddy is the commander in chief.&#8221;
Kid Rock was obviously talking about his friend, President Donald Trump. The outspoken conservative is a longtime Trump supporter and even sang at the last Republican National Convention.
The pilots of the Army choppers apparently had the green light — at least as far as Kid Rock was concerned — to fly by the mansion. The singer told WKRN he has met with the pilots, who are stationed not too far away from Music City, and told the servicemen they could &#8220;cruise&#8221; by his place anytime.
The Daily Wire has reached out to Fort Campbell officials about the incident.

Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Pete Hegseth Steps In After Army Pilots Buzz Kid Rock’s Mansion

America

Nashville

News

Trump

White House

Kid Rock got to show some love to the troops when he got a surprising flyby from United States Army helicopters over the weekend.
In the video posted by Kid Rock on X, the American icon is seen at his home in the Nashville area saluting the choppers as they flew near his pool.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is a level of respect that shit for brains Governor of California will never know. God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her. 🇺🇸 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/iD5mmkaXv1">pic.twitter.com/iD5mmkaXv1</a>
— KidRock (@KidRock) <a href="https://twitter.com/KidRock/status/2037987671671292134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;This is a level of respect that sh*t for brains Governor of California will never know,&#8221; Kid Rock captioned the <a href="https://x.com/KidRock/status/2037987671671292134?s=20">video</a> he posted of the helicopters. &#8220;God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her.”
The video has been viewed more than eight million times as of Monday, and it&#8217;s apparently sparking an &#8220;administrative review&#8221; into why the helicopters were hovering around Kid Rock&#8217;s compound.
“The Army is aware of a video circulating online that appears to show AH‑64 Apache helicopters operating in the vicinity of a private residence in the Nashville area,&#8221; Maj. Jonathon Bless, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Public Affairs Officer, told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Army aviators must adhere to strict safety standards, professionalism, and established flight regulations. An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements. Appropriate action will be taken if any violations are found.&#8221;
In a second video, Kid Rock posted footage of a helicopter facing him as he again cheered on the military personnel inside.
According to <a href="https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/u-s-army-opens-investigation-into-attack-helicopter-activities-at-kid-rocks-home-no-kings-protest">News Channel 5</a> in Nashville, the helicopters could have been flying over the No Kings protest happening in Nashville, though Maj. Bless added that the 101st Airborne leaders were unaware of any reason the choppers might have done a flyover of the protests, either.
&#8220;Our pilots do regularly fly routes outside the Fort Campbell area,&#8221; the spokesperson said. &#8220;We just don&#8217;t know if it was incidental or if it was deliberate.&#8221;
&#8220;How much did American taxpayers pay for this flyby of Kid Rock&#8217;s house?&#8221; one woman wrote on <a href="https://x.com/TheRealThelmaJ1/status/2038394135556850056?s=20">X</a>.
Kid Rock&#8217;s home is widely known as &#8220;The Southern White House&#8221; as the mansion is modeled after the White House in the nation&#8217;s capital.
The Daily Wire has reached out to Kid Rock for comment.

Credit: Kid Rock/Gary Miller via Getty Images

Kid Rock Sparks Military Review After Wild Stunt At ‘Southern White House’

Tennessee

U.S. Military

U.S.A.

Kid Rock has addressed speculation that he was lip syncing during his performance of “Bawitdaba” at TPUSA’s All-American Halftime Show, which was aired at the same time as the Super Bowl Halftime show on Sunday.
The country rock star said the problem was that he was “out of sync” with his DJ. Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, discussed what happened during an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6389008403112">appearance</a> on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” on Monday night.
“My DJ, who actually raps that song with me, was not lit up,” Ritchie explained to Ingraham. He said it would have been easier for the TPUSA team to sync up the vocals if they were using a pre-recorded version of the song, and the fact that it was slightly off timing-wise is proof that he was really singing.
“&#8230;I’m jumping around the stage like a rabid monkey, rapping my song, and I’m taking breaths, and my DJ is filling in the other parts of it,” he went on. “I even told them when I saw the rough cut, I was like, you guys got to work on that sync. It’s off. So it was just a syncing issue that they had, and I know they tried to get it right. It was very difficult.”
Ritchie also tweeted out a more direct response to those who were speculating that he had lip-synced, calling the claims &#8220;fake news.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My halftime performance was pre recorded but performed live. No lipsycing like the haters and fake news are trying to report. When they synced the cameras to my performance on Bawitdaba, it did not line up as I explain in this video. <a href="https://t.co/k1x1RfI9RY">pic.twitter.com/k1x1RfI9RY</a>
— KidRock (@KidRock) <a href="https://twitter.com/KidRock/status/2021253773880881253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The TPUSA All-American Halftime Show outperformed all expectations. Millions of people tuned into the YouTube livestream, Charlie Kirk’s YouTube channel, and other partner sites streaming it, including DailyWire+.
It was pitched as an alternative for viewers who weren’t interested in watching Super Bowl Halftime headliner Bad Bunny, who only sings in Spanish and has expressed controversial views about President Trump and ICE enforcing immigration laws.
Ritchie also said he wasn’t overly impressed with Bad Bunny’s halftime performance.
“Like most people, I didn’t understand any of it,” the singer said. “I saw there’s a lot of dancers and a lot of big to-do stuff. And, you know, he said he wanted to have a dance party; it looked like he had one.”
“Not my cup of tea, but I don’t fault that kid for doing the Super Bowl, getting in front of a global audience,” Ritchie added. “I fault the NFL for putting him in that position and Turning Point for having to come out and have an alternative for people to watch. You know, it’s just — poor kid.”
President Trump also had a negative reaction to Bad Bunny’s performance on Sunday.
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” Trump wrote. “It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence,” the president posted on social media.
“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This ‘Show’ is just a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History!”

Kid Rock Blasts ‘Haters’ Claiming He Lip-Synced At TPUSA Halftime Show

Bad Bunny

Entertainment

Halftime Show

Music

Super Bowl

TPUSA

U.S.

Country rock star Kid Rock pointed viewers toward Jesus and the Gospel during his set on Sunday as the headliner at the TPUSA All-American Halftime Show. 
The &#8220;Cowboy&#8221; singer delivered on all fronts as the alternative to the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show that featured Bad Bunny, who performed his entire set in Spanish. The All-American Halftime Show drew millions of viewers eager for something different. 
Rock opened his set with his viral hit “Bawitdaba” from 1999. But later, the recording artist changed tracks entirely. As his set came to an end, Kid Rock came back out on stage and was reintroduced by his real name, Robert Ritchie. 
He said a new verse to Cody Johnson’s song “‘Til You Can’t” came to him one Sunday morning when &#8220;something or someone spoke to me.&#8221;
Ritchie said he believed there was “a verse that still needed to be written for this song.”
&#8220;There&#8217;s a book that&#8217;s sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off,&#8221; he sang. &#8220;There&#8217;s a man that died for all our sins hanging from the cross. You can give your life to Jesus and he&#8217;ll give you a second chance. &#8216;Til you can&#8217;t.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="TPUSA Presents: The ALL-AMERICAN HALFTIME SHOW" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nJszMT9wZtQ?start=4152&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
His performance ended with a tribute to TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last year. 
“If you’re gonna love somebody, hold ’em as long and as strong and as close as you can. Until you can’t,” Rock sang as an image of Kirk showed up on the screen with the caption, “In Remembrance of Charlie Kirk.” There were photos of Kirk and his widow, Erika, followed by the Bible verse Isaiah 6:8: &#8220;Here am I, send me.&#8221;
Brantley Gilbert and other country artists, Gabby Barrett, and Lee Brice also performed at the TPUSA All-American Halftime Show, which outperformed all expectations. Millions of people tuned into the YouTube livestream, Charlie Kirk’s YouTube channel, and other partner sites streaming it, including DailyWire+. 
“We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath,” Kid Rock said in a statement before the show, The Daily Wire previously reported. “Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible, or is it? He said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America.”
Social media lit up with fans celebrating the Super Bowl halftime show alternative, and later with viewers proud of how many people turned up and tuned in. 
“All in English, all talented, beautifully done,” one social media response <a href="https://x.com/mattvanswol/status/2020680122739609810">said</a>.
“It was truly awesome. Felt so good. And so proud,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/GNFranzia/status/2020681341726036350">agreed</a>. 
“I was proud of my country. Felt blessed for my family. This is what it should be!” a third person agreed, echoing what so many others were saying.
As of Monday, the All-American Halftime Show had close to 20 million views on the official TPUSA YouTube channel.

‘Died For All Our Sins’: Kid Rock Points To Jesus And The Gospel During All-American Halftime Show

Kid Rock Adds Verse To Song During All-American Halftime, Tells Fans To Follow Jesus

Christianity

The TPUSA All-American Halftime Show outperformed all expectations, with an incredible 6.1 million people <a href="https://x.com/andrewkolvet/status/2020677703213728037?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">tuning in</a> to watch on the YouTube livestream, another 1 million watching on Charlie Kirk’s YouTube, and “monster” numbers on other partner sites streaming it including Rumble and DailyWire+.
Social media lit up with fans celebrating the Super Bowl halftime show alternative, and later with viewers proud of how many people turned up and tuned in.
“All in English, all talented, beautifully done,” one social media response <a href="https://x.com/mattvanswol/status/2020680122739609810">said</a>.
“It was truly awesome. Felt so good. And so proud,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/GNFranzia/status/2020681341726036350">agreed</a>.
“I was proud of my country. Felt blessed for my family. This is what it should be!” a third person agreed, echoing what so many others were saying.
Secretary of War Pete Hegeth posted on X, saying the War Department was “proud to support” the show. “GOD BLESS THIS GREAT COUNTRY,” he <a href="https://x.com/secwar/status/2020680005681062203?s=46&amp;t=5nB3R1hthzMlYMrXjZyN8Q">wrote</a> in the caption.
The lineup for “The All-American Halftime Show” was announced last week. Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett took the stage in a show meant to celebrate faith, family, and freedom.
“We’re approaching this show like David and Goliath,” Kid Rock said in a statement, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turning-point-usa-unveils-star-studded-all-american-halftime-show-to-rival-super-bowls-bad-bunny">reported</a>. “Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible, or is it? He said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America.”
This show aired at the same time as Super Bowl LX’s official halftime show featuring Latin music star Bad Bunny. The singer’s selection has sparked significant backlash from many conservatives, including President Donald Trump.
Bad Bunny has been critical of the Trump administration’s illegal immigrant crackdown and refused to tour in the United States last year because he said he didn’t want ICE raiding his concerts. Many football fans were also frustrated that the entire show would be in Spanish.
The success of TPUSA’s alternative, pro-America halftime entertainment proves that the battle of David versus Goliath continues, with the possibility of the underdog winning in the end.
The Left still thinks it owns the culture. They preached to us at the Grammys. They preached at the Super Bowl. But we are fighting back. <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/?utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=performancemax&amp;utm_content=na_subscriptions&amp;utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=performancemax&amp;utm_content=na_subscriptions&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=x&amp;xid=0&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=19747119763&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAhaHMBhD2ARIsAPAU_D63rmpYzOrZ3VE5c5N47ky3yS7gXlvrw39o8jpL0ODtCEq98LqvWwwaAsUtEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Join DailyWire+</a> for entertainment that has your values at its core.

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Millions Tune In For TPUSA All-American Halftime Show During Super Bowl

Turning Point USA vowed to put on a show to rival the Super Bowl halftime show headlined by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unlike-bad-bunny-the-super-bowl-is-going-all-in-to-celebrate-america">Bad Bunny</a>, and they delivered in red, white, and blue.
The lineup for &#8220;The All-American Halftime Show&#8221; was announced Monday. Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett will take the stage in a show TPUSA says will celebrate faith, family, and freedom.
&#8220;We&#8217;re approaching this show like David and Goliath,&#8221; Kid Rock said in a statement, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/turning-point-usa-launches-rival-halftime-show-star-studded-lineup-nfl-faces-super-bowl-backlash">Fox News</a>. &#8220;Competing with the pro football machine and a global pop superstar is almost impossible, or is it? He said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America.&#8221;
Kid Rock said on The Charlie Kirk Show on Monday that half of the United States is &#8220;underserved&#8221; entertainment-wise.
This show will air during Super Bowl LX&#8217;s official halftime show featuring Latin music star Bad Bunny, who won &#8220;Album of the Year&#8221; at the Grammys on Sunday. The singer&#8217;s selection has sparked significant backlash from many conservatives, including President Donald Trump. Bad Bunny has been critical of the Trump administration&#8217;s illegal immigrant crackdown and refused to tour in the United States last year because he said he didn&#8217;t want ICE raiding his concerts.
At the Grammys this past Sunday, Bad Bunny again criticized ICE.
&#8220;Before I say thanks to God, I&#8217;m going to say, &#8216;ICE out,'&#8221; Bad Bunny said.
WATCH THE ALL-AMERICAN HALFTIME SHOW LIVE ON DAILYWIRE+
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1040663 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/AAHTS_Artistgroup-BC-1920x1080-1.jpeg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Last fall, Trump took a jab at Bad Bunny, saying he didn&#8217;t know who the singer was after the NFL announced he would be performing at the Super Bowl LX halftime show.
&#8220;I don’t know who he is,&#8221; Trump told Newsmax. &#8220;I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.&#8221;
Trump definitely knows who Kid Rock is. The &#8220;Bawitdaba&#8221; singer is a close pal and golfing buddy of the president. Kid Rock also performed at the last Republican National Convention.
&#8220;The All-American Halftime Show&#8221; will allow viewers to be up close and personal with the performance, Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital.
&#8220;&#8216;The All-American Halftime Show&#8217; is an opportunity for all Americans to enjoy a halftime show with no agenda other than to celebrate faith, family, and freedom,&#8221; Kolvet said. &#8220;We can’t wait to watch the incredible show they’re about to put on. We know millions around the country will be watching too.&#8221;
Barrett, who placed third on Season 16 of American Idol, recently sang at the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
The star-studded show is expected to start around 8 p.m. ET on February 8. The Daily Wire will air the show on its platform. TPUSA will also stream the concert on its YouTube channel and X account.
Super Bowl LX is being held in Santa Clara, California, at Levi&#8217;s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
The battle between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots kicks off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Turning Point USA Unveils Star-Studded ‘All-American Halftime Show’ To Rival Super Bowl’s Bad Bunny

Turning Point USA Announces Star-Studded All-American Halftime Show Sunday

Country rock singer Kid Rock headed to Capitol Hill yesterday to testify on the topic of skyrocketing concert ticket prices and the role corporations and scammers play in it. As he <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/01/28/blackburn-live-nation-ticket-bots-hearing">put it</a>, “music fans and artists have been getting screwed by the ticketing system.&#8221;
Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was titled: “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry.”
“I’m in a unique position to testify, because unlike most of my peers, I am beholden to no one, no record companies, no managers, no corporate endorsements or deals,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told the committee. “To put it plainly, I ain’t scared, like many artists, managers and agents are, for fear of biting the hand that feeds them.”
He brought up how Live Nation and Ticketmaster merging was pitched as a benefit for artists and fans, but claimed the opposite has proven true.
“Let’s be clear—this is far from a new problem,” Ritchie said. “Thirty years ago, members of the rock band Pearl Jam sat in these same seats, warning Congress about ticketing abuse. In 2009, Congress was told—under oath—that merging Live Nation and Ticketmaster would benefit artists and fans.”
“The economic foundation that supported artists in the past is crumbling. Piracy is threatening their livelihood. Secondary ticketing is driving up prices for the fans with absolutely no benefit to the artist,” the singer continued, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/kid-rock-congress-ticketing-live-nation-ticketmaster-1236487577/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “Needless to say, that experiment has failed miserably. Independent venues have been crushed. Artists have lost leverage. Fans are paying more than ever and getting blamed for it.”
Kid Rock said there are “mountains of fraud” waiting to be discovered and suggested solutions including allowing performers to set their own prices and capping resale prices, to name a few. He also drew attention to bots that buy up large amounts of concert tickets to resell. Ritchie mentioned that the proposed reforms so far haven’t gone far enough.
“The problem is the ticketing lobbyists push these reforms as cover while fighting to keep tickets in an open market and let them exploit fans under the guise of capitalism,” Ritchie said.
Last year, the Senate Commerce Committee introduced the TICKET Act, a bipartisan bill which would require the total fees for an event ticket to be displayed clearly in advance. The bill passed the House in April, but has not yet passed the Senate.

Kid Rock Tells Congress That Concert Ticket Prices Are Out Of Control

concert

Congress

Marsha Blackburn

Ticketmaster

Kid Rock credits President Donald Trump with helping to rid the nation of cancel culture, wokeness, and pervasive DEI initiatives.
The 54-year-old recording artist, who has been a fervent supporter of Trump for years, made the remarks while speaking with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kid-rock-hails-trump-dragon-slayer-battling-wokeness-cancel-culture">Fox News Digital</a> on Friday at his &#8220;Rock N Rodeo&#8221; event in Texas.
&#8220;I think wokeness and DEI and cancel culture is starting to exit the building, and we can thank President Trump for leading that charge once again. I call him the dragon slayer in that regard, &#8216;cuz he just came and slit the throat of DEI and wokeness,&#8221; Kid Rock told the outlet.
&#8220;There&#8217;s always gonna be cancel culture at some level, somebody getting butt sore about this, wants to protest and not buy a product or whatever. You know, me personally, I&#8217;m not into seeing people lose their jobs over some corporate decision that was made,” he continued, before referencing one of the most successful boycotts by conservatives in history.
&#8220;But sometimes there needs [to be] a little spanking there, like Bud Light had from me and some other people, but at the end of the day, we forgave them, said, ‘It&#8217;s all good. Let&#8217;s get back on track.’&#8221; 
The “Born Free” singer next described his vision for America. 
&#8220;I do think it&#8217;s exiting the building right now, and hopefully it stays gone, but we should be a merit-based system. The best and hardworking rises to the top. I don&#8217;t know how we got here, because to me, that&#8217;s just common sense, that&#8217;s just the ultimate, highest level of common sense that just the best and the hardest workers rise to the top. It doesn&#8217;t matter, anything else,&#8221; he told the outlet.
Kid Rock also called Trump the “greatest president ever.” 
&#8220;My thoughts on President Trump&#8217;s presidency: greatest president ever. I can sum it up like that. Not only because of our friendship and all the laughs we share on the golf course or hanging out at UFC fights or whatever it might be, but just the tenacity this man has. You know, the most resilient,&#8221; he said.
Just after the inauguration, Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, talked about a major shift in the entertainment industry as mainstream artists like Carrie Underwood and Snoop Dogg were willing to associate themselves with Trump. 
“It feels like the rebirth of our nation,” the singer said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-reflects-on-mainstream-celebrities-associating-with-trump-americas-back?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kid+Rock+Reflects+On+Mainstream+Celebrities+Associating+With+Trump%3A+%E2%80%98America%E2%80%99s+Back%E2%80%99">reported</a>. 
“There’s just this overwhelming sense … you’ve heard it a million times, that America’s back,” he added. “Now they feel it’s safe to go in the water after dipping their toe in it for four to eight years,” Ritchie said. “I mean, welcome to the party, like I’ve said. Better to have them on board than not.”
In April, Kid Rock helped set up a dinner with Trump, UFC CEO Dana White, and liberal podcast host Bill Maher. He <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-trump-meeting-bill-maher?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kid+Rock+Dishes+On+Trump%E2%80%99s+Meeting+With+Bill+Maher%3A+%E2%80%98Everybody%E2%80%99s+Mind+Was+Kind+Of+Blown%E2%80%99">described</a> the meeting as “so pleasant,” saying, “everybody’s mind was kind of blown.”

Kid Rock and Donald Trump

Kid Rock Dubs Trump The ‘Dragon Slayer’ Of Wokeness

Kid Rock Dubs President Trump The 'Dragon Slayer' Of Wokeness, DEI Culture

Cancel Culture

Donald Trump

Executive

Wokeness

On Tuesday, Kid Rock shared details of President Donald Trump&#8217;s meeting with liberal comedian Bill Maher, declaring that &#8220;everybody’s mind was kind of blown.&#8221;
The rock star, who got to <a href="https://x.com/News4SA/status/1907109777441706181" target="_blank" rel="noopener">witness</a> Trump sign an executive order designed to crack down on price gouging in ticket resales, joined Fox News to discuss how he convinced Maher to meet Trump and what actually happened when they all got together for dinner, along with UFC CEO Dana White.
Both Trump and Maher — who have been heavily critical of each other over the years — had previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-confirms-meeting-with-bill-maher-it-might-be-fun-or-it-might-not" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credited</a> Kid Rock with brokering the get-together on Monday.
&#8220;I went on Bill’s show, I went on his podcast and I said, &#8216;Man, you know, nothing happens if people don’t break bread together and meet face-to-face.&#8217; He’s been one of the president’s hardest critics. And we came to dinner, me, Bill, Dana White, and it could not have been better,&#8221; the rock star said.
&#8220;Everyone was so surprised. It was so pleasant,&#8221; Kid Rock added. &#8220;The most shocking thing to me was Bill is obviously a big liberal and very hard on the president. He’s donated a lot of money to other politicians. You know, you&#8217;ve had Biden, Clinton, Obama — everybody — he had never been to the White House.&#8221;
But, Kid Rock said, Trump was &#8220;gracious&#8221; and gave them a tour of the White House.
&#8220;He took us up to the private residence. We saw the Gettysburg Address in the Lincoln Bedroom,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And I was like, you’ve never been here, Bill? And I was like, how about this? President Trump, you know, extending this olive branch and we talked about things we had in common.&#8221;
Kid Rock said they discussed &#8220;ending wokeness&#8221; and &#8220;securing the border.&#8221; He noted that Trump asked Maher about policy on Iran and Israel, and remarked, &#8220;It blew my mind. I was very proud.&#8221;
&#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; co-host Lawrence Jones asked, &#8220;Do you think he walked away liking him? Because, you know, Trump is the type of person you have to meet him to understand him,&#8221; to which Kid Rock responded in the affirmative.
&#8220;100%. 100%. Me and Dana both said there was like — there has never been anyone who has ever met the president in any scenario who has walked away without saying, like, wow, what a great guy. He&#8217;s so funny, so engaging, he&#8217;s so smart. And absolutely, Bill even said to me — after that he goes, &#8216;Wow, that was — &#8216; you know, everybody’s mind was kind of blown.&#8221;
Kid Rock went on to say: &#8220;The president called me late last night. Everyone was a little suspect about going into this. Even the president [said to me], like, &#8216;What have you got me doing?&#8217; I go, man, we’re trying to show people that even though we’ve been hard on each other, that when you get face-to-face, maybe we can have more civility in this country and try to bring people together, you know. That was my whole intention.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kid Rock reveals key details from Trump&#039;s meeting with Bill Maher" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w8AyE2b4K3w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Kid Rock and President Trump

Kid Rock Dishes On Trump’s Meeting With Bill Maher: ‘Everybody’s Mind Was Kind Of Blown’

Bill Maher

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that targeted ticket resellers and scalpers who profit from jacking up the prices.
Recording artist Kid Rock joined the president for the signing. The order directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to team up with state attorneys general to enforce laws that prevent entertainers and fans from being overcharged and price gouged by resellers, per <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5224370-trump-executive-order-ticket-scalping-reselling/amp/">The Hill</a>.
The EO also highlights the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promotes it being enforced by consumer protection authorities.
It also ensures price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchasing process, including the secondary ticket market, as a better protection for concertgoers. The EO says it will take action to prevent &#8220;unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct&#8221; in the secondary ticketing market.
&#8220;Anyone who&#8217;s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years, no matter what your politics are, knows it is a conundrum,&#8221; Kid Rock, who was decked out in red, white, and blue, told reporters. 
&#8220;If you buy a ticket for 100 bucks by the time you check it out, it&#8217;s 170. You don&#8217;t know what you can charge for it, but more importantly, these bots you know, they come in to get all the good tickets to your favorite shows you want to go to, and then they&#8217;re relisted immediately for sometimes a 4 or 500% markup.&#8221; 
Kid Rock explained that the artists &#8220;don&#8217;t see any of that money.&#8221;  
“It bothers him, it bothers a lot of other artists too,” Trump said of Kid Rock. 
Trump mentioned tackling high concert ticket prices while on the campaign trail last year.
“Scalpers and bots prevent fans from getting tickets at the prices artists set, and we thank President Trump for taking them head-on. We support any meaningful resale reforms — including more enforcement of the BOTS act, caps on resale prices, and more,” Live Nation Entertainment told The Daily Wire in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino echoed that sentiment in an X <a href="https://x.com/Michael_Rapino/status/1906842969078120667">post</a> thanking President Trump and Kid Rock for &#8220;taking ticket-scalping head on.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Kid Rock and Trump

Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

President Trump Signs EO Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

Executive Orders

Music Industry

On Sunday, President Donald Trump said that he reluctantly plans to meet with Bill Maher, a liberal comedian who has been very critical of him over the years.
Maher <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-an-honor-bill-maher-explains-why-hes-going-to-meet-soon-with-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> during a recent episode of his &#8220;Club Random&#8221; podcast that he took up a proposal from Kid Rock — a rock star who supports Trump — to meet with the president. On Truth Social, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114254057682596962" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he would go through with the get-together as a favor to Kid Rock.
&#8220;I got a call from a very good guy, and friend of mine, Kid Rock, asking me whether or not it would be possible for me to meet, in the White House, with Bill Maher, a man who has been unjustifiably critical of anything, or anyone, TRUMP. I really didn’t like the idea much, and don’t like it much now, but thought it would be interesting,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;The problem is,&#8221; Trump added, &#8220;no matter how much he likes your Favorite President, ME, he will publicly proclaim what a terrible guy I am, etc., very much like the Democrats at my recent Address to the Joint Session of Congress, where I stated, correctly, that no matter what I said or did, they wouldn’t stand, they wouldn’t applaud, they wouldn’t smile or laugh and, certainly, they wouldn’t be in any way &#8216;nice.'&#8221;
He ended the post by saying: &#8220;Who knows, though, maybe I’ll be proven wrong? In any event, I’m doing a favor for a friend. I look forward to meeting with Bill Maher, Kid Rock and, I believe, even the Legendary [UFC CEO] Dana White will be present. It might be fun or, it might not, but you will be the first to know!&#8221;
Trump did not provide a date for when the meeting will take place.
Maher, who has in the past been the subject of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/trump-withdraws-orangutan-lawsuit-against-comic-bill-maher-idUSBRE9310PL/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">litigation</a> filed by Trump and levied very harsh criticisms of the president, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-an-honor-bill-maher-explains-why-hes-going-to-meet-soon-with-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he expected to make people on the Left upset over the planned meeting. But the comedian emphasized that his side did lose the election and that people should talk despite their differences.
&#8220;It’s an honor to be invited to the White House under any circumstance,&#8221; Maher said.

Trump Confirms Meeting With Bill Maher: ‘It Might Be Fun Or, It Might Not’

Menu