# Ed Sheeran and Robert Kraft Pledge Millions in Aid After Macklemore Tour Fallout > The commitments follow a wave of lineup changes on Macklemore's tour, after he was removed from Sheeran's shows and barred from Gillette Stadium following pro-Palestine comments at a New Jersey concert. - Source: VUUQUE - Canonical URL: https://vuuque.com/article/ed-sheeran-robert-kraft-macklemore-donation - Author: VUUQUE Editorial - Section: Business & Work - Published: 2026-09-18T14:47:34.555Z - Updated: 2026-09-18T14:47:34.555Z - Tags: Ed Sheeran, Robert Kraft, Macklemore, Philanthropy --- Ed Sheeran has pledged $2 million toward humanitarian aid in the Middle East, with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft committing to match the donation, following a public dispute that began after Macklemore made pro-Palestine statements during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore has separately pledged $1 million from his own tour earnings, distributed across six organizations that support Palestinians. ## A tour lineup upended Sheeran removed Macklemore from his U.S. Loop Tour in the aftermath of the comments, saying the decision wasn't entirely his own: "I spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so." Kraft went further, barring Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium and pointing to what he called "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery" as justification. Several other acts on the tour, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga, subsequently withdrew from their remaining dates in solidarity with Macklemore. The tour is scheduled to run through November 7 in Tampa, Florida. ## Political reaction and fan backlash The lineup changes drew criticism from politicians including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, who characterized Kraft's decision as censorship. Kraft has defended his position, saying he has "dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people." Some ticket holders have since requested refunds over the altered lineup, even as Sheeran has said he hopes other venue owners will follow his and Kraft's lead in contributing to humanitarian aid for the region. --- Originally published by VUUQUE. Free to cite with attribution and a link to https://vuuque.com/article/ed-sheeran-robert-kraft-macklemore-donation.