Macklemore Dropped from Ed Sheeran's US Tour After Pro-Palestine Remarks

On September 4, 2026, Macklemore made brief remarks between songs while performing as an opening act for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, telling the audience that people in Gaza and the West Bank had "not forgotten about them" and voicing support for "Free Palestine." The comments drew condemnation from Jewish groups, including a petition from the Israeli American Council demanding his removal from the tour. Following the backlash, Macklemore was dropped from the remaining US leg of Sheeran's Loop tour. Sheeran stated that venue owners, not himself, objected to Macklemore's pro-Palestinian comments and were behind the decision to remove him from the lineup. In protest of Macklemore's removal, other supporting acts on the tour also dropped out. The tour subsequently resumed in Philadelphia without any opening acts, where Sheeran publicly apologized to the audience, saying "I'm so, so sorry." The episode sparked broader debate over free speech, the role of private venue owners and corporate sponsors in determining who performs, and the intersection of pop culture with the Israel-Gaza conflict. Commentary has diverged on how to characterize the outcome: some framed it as evidence that the system of free expression functioned as intended, since Macklemore faced consequences from private actors rather than government censorship, while others emphasized the chilling effect on artists' political speech and the disruption to the broader tour. No outlet has reported further tour changes or resolution of the dispute beyond the Philadelphia show, and the identities of the specific venue owners who objected have not been independently detailed beyond Sheeran's own account.