Macklemore, Ed Sheeran ask Robert Kraft to donate to Palestinian humanitarian aid

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Ed Sheeran asked him to match a $2 million donation to “aid in the region” after Macklemore — who was ousted from the pop star’s tour for promoting “Free Palestine” messaging — similarly urged him to donate.

Kraft said in a Wednesday statement that, before Macklemore challenged the businessman to match his own $1 million donation to humanitarian aid in Gaza, Sheeran had made a $2 million contribution. According to the Patriots owner, the singer then asked him to match the $2 million he pledged.

“Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges,” Kraft said in his statement, posted to the social media accounts of the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium.

“In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts to create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs and forge relationships,” he added.

As of Wednesday night, Sheeran has not confirmed his donation, nor has Kraft elaborated on to which humanitarian organizations the money was directed.

Macklemore said on Monday that Sheeran “and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour” — which included performing at Gillette later this month — after a phone call between the pop star and Kraft, a vocal supporter of Israel.

Macklemore wrote on Instagram Wednesday that he would donate $1 million of his net earnings from The Loop Tour to six organizations working to directly provide Palestinians with aid. He invited Kraft to do the same.

Following Macklemore’s ouster, Sheeran has faced backlash online as several other artists pulled out of the tour . The departures of Billish Eilish’s brother and music collaborator Finneas, Danish band Lukas Graham, Irish band Beoga and Aaron Rowe left the tour with no supporting acts.

Children’s YouTuber Ms. Rachel, another pro-Palestinian activist, accused Sheeran of making a political statement to his fans by performing to support Ukraine “but [considering] Palestine too dangerous and political” to back.

Macklemore has shown support for Palestinians during Israel’s nearly three-year war in Gaza, which began when militant group Hamas waged an attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023. He also publicly backed students who protested the U.S.’s support for Israel throughout the conflict.

The rapper released “Hind’s Hall” in 2024, a song referencing the name that pro-Palestinian protesters gave a campus building at Columbia University — naming it after 5-year-old Hind Rajab after she and her family were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza.

Kraft has donated to several Jewish and Israeli causes, formed the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism in 2019 in response to rising antisemitism in the U.S. and funded the campaign “Stand Up to Jewish Hate.” The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism became the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate in 2025.

In 2019, Kraft received the $1 million Genesis Prize, an annual award referred to as the “Jewish Nobel Prize,” for his support for Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the award ceremony that “Israel does not have a more loyal friend than Robert Kraft.”