New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft revealed Wednesday that Ed Sheeran had personally asked him to match a $2 million donation to humanitarian relief in the region, following a public challenge from rapper Macklemore, who was removed from Sheeran's tour over his pro-Palestinian activism.
In a statement posted to Gillette Stadium's social media channels, Kraft said Sheeran had already pledged $2 million before Macklemore called on the billionaire to match his own $1 million donation for aid in Gaza. Kraft added that Sheeran intends to contact other venue owners to build on the effort, saying, "Our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges."
Kraft also sought to address critics, noting his long history of supporting Palestinian economic opportunities and bringing young Palestinians and Israelis together through business and job creation. "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," he said.
As of Wednesday night, neither Sheeran nor Kraft had specified which humanitarian organizations would receive the funds. The timing of the announcement comes amid growing backlash over Macklemore's exit from The Loop Tour, which was scheduled to include a stop at Gillette Stadium later this month.
Macklemore said Monday that Sheeran and his team had removed him from the tour after a phone call between the pop star and Kraft, a vocal supporter of Israel. In response, Macklemore pledged $1 million of his tour earnings to six groups providing direct aid to Palestinians and publicly challenged Kraft to do the same.
The controversy has triggered a wave of artist departures from the tour, including Finneas, brother of Billie Eilish, Danish band Lukas Graham, Irish band Beoga, and Aaron Rowe, leaving Sheeran without supporting acts. Children's YouTuber Ms. Rachel, a pro-Palestinian activist, accused Sheeran of hypocrisy for performing in support of Ukraine while "considering Palestine too dangerous and political" to back.
Macklemore has been a prominent voice for Palestinians during Israel's nearly three-year war in Gaza, which began after Hamas's attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023. He also voiced support for student protests against U.S. backing of Israel. In 2024, he released "Hind's Hall," a song named after a Columbia University building that protesters renamed in honor of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza.
Kraft has donated extensively to Jewish and Israeli causes, founded the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism in 2019, and funded the "Stand Up to Jewish Hate" campaign. The foundation rebranded as the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate in 2025. In 2019, Kraft received the Genesis Prize, often called the "Jewish Nobel," with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring, "Israel does not have a more loyal friend than Robert Kraft."
The episode underscores the cultural and political fault lines over Gaza, as artists and business leaders navigate public pressure from both sides. For more on the tour's fallout, see Finneas's exit from the tour and Macklemore's claim that stadium owners forced his removal.
