- Grammy-winning music producer Jack Antonoff has publicly criticised Ed Sheeran for his handling of the controversy surrounding the removal of rapper Macklemore from Sheeran's Loop Tour.
- Macklemore was dropped from the lineup following pressure from billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft after the rapper expressed support for Palestine on stage, prompting all four of Sheeran's remaining supporting acts to resign in solidarity.
- In an interview with The Guardian, Antonoff described Macklemore’s remarks as "deeply human" and argued that Sheeran missed an opportunity to stand up to billionaires by failing to cancel the tour and perform for free outside venues.
- Addressing the backlash at a Philadelphia concert where he claimed friends and family had abandoned him, Sheeran condemned the 7 October attacks in Israel while also describing the ongoing military actions in Gaza as "catastrophic and unjustifiable".
- Macklemore has since doubled down on his pro-Palestine advocacy following his exit from the tour, announcing plans to embark on his own self-headlined "Free Palestine" tour.
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