From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Robert Kraft takes credit for helping pressure Ed Sheeran to drop Macklemore from his tour
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Robert Kraft, the Jewish and pro-Israel billionaire, takes credit Monday for helping to pressure Ed Sheeran to drop pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore from his tour.
Kraft, who owns one of the stadiums where Macklemore was scheduled to perform, confirmed the rapper’s own account of the businessman’s involvement in a statement shared with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,” Kraft says.
His statement continued, “Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.”
The controversy stemmed from a recent show at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Macklemore upset some Jewish and pro-Israel groups by accusing Israel of genocide and saying “Free Palestine” onstage while showing images of the war in Gaza.
Patriots owner Bob Kraft has released a statement addressing his decision to block Macklemore from performing with Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium, a move that ultimately led Sheeran to drop Macklemore from his tour. pic.twitter.com/ubNQ6Ovyhe
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) September 14, 2026
The Times of Israel Community.