Ed Sheeran has addressed the mounting controversy surrounding his Loop Tour after Macklemore was removed as an opening act following comments the rapper made in support of Palestinians.
The repercussions have since widened, with Sheeran’s other support acts, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish folk group Beoga, withdrawing from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
The controversy began on September 4, when Macklemore, performing as one of Sheeran’s opening acts, addressed the crowd during his set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
He voiced his support for people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, saying he wanted them to know they had not been forgotten, before declaring: “Free Palestine.”
He also addressed Jewish members of the audience directly the following evening, saying: “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it is in no way criticism of you.”
His remarks drew backlash, including a petition from the Israeli American Council calling for him to be removed from the tour. The tour’s promoter, Messina Touring Group, subsequently said that several venues had indicated they would not host shows with Macklemore on the bill and he was soon removed from the remaining U.S. dates.
As the dispute continues to reverberate through the tour, we’re unpacking exactly what has been said by Sheeran, Macklemore and the tour’s other performers.
Has Robert Kraft Made A Donation?
Six hours ago, Macklemore posted a statement to Instagram revealing that he will donate the $1 million salary he earned during his stint on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour, to “organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people.”
The rapper also challenged billionaire Robert Kraft to match his donation. Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium outside Boston, allegedly played a pivotal role in ousting Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour after refusing to allow the rapper to perform at his venue.
Macklemore’s statement read, in part: “I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people. And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.”
Kraft has now responded, issuing a statement via X announcing he will commit $2 million to match Sheeran’s donation.
“Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”
Statement from Robert Kraft https://t.co/as3f4RUKse
— Gillette Stadium (@GilletteStadium) September 16, 2026
What Was Ed Sheeran’s Response To Macklemore?
Following the mounting controversy, the usually apolitical Sheeran posted a carousel in which he said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” adding that “there is a reason” he doesn’t use his “professional platform for politics.”
He continued, “Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace.”
What Did Macklemore Say In Response To Being Removed From The Tour?
Following mounting pressure for Ed Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour, the rapper took to Instagram to address his removal and share his account of what had transpired. He also touched on Pink’s social media activity, who reshared a post to her Instagram Story from @stop_antisemitism, which called out Macklemore’s “anti-Israel propaganda.”
“I’m not sure how to start this. So I’m going to speak from the heart and share the truth. Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour,” Macklemore wrote.
He continued, “I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.”
He then reflected on his longstanding friendship with Sheeran, writing, “Ed is my friend. I’ve known him for 13 years. We’ve shared late nights, studio sessions and stages. He has this infectious magic about him that I’ve grown to love. I consider him a brother. And because of that, we’ve had some difficult conversations this past week. The type of talks rooted in love and respect for one another that still end in a place of fundamental disagreement. Nothing I’m writing here is out of spite or because I want to tear down his character. But as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.”
What Have The Other Opening Acts Said?
Mere hours after Sheeran addressed the controversy on Instagram, saying the decision had been made by the tour’s promoters, a number of his other opening acts announced that they would also be stepping away from the Loop tour.
Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham and American singer Finneas (Billie Eilish’s brother) each took to Instagram to confirm their withdrawal from the tour.
Finneas stated that, “Artists must not be silenced when the speak up for the oppressed,” and that he stands with “Palestine and its people.”
