Rep. Tlaib Eviscerates Ed Sheeran For Supporting Ukraine, Silence On Palestine As Macklemore Controversy Escalates

Rashida Tlaib isn’t holding back about what she sees as a betrayal of free speech and Palestinian humanity when billionaires control the narrative around who gets to perform.

The Michigan congresswoman made her position clear after Ed Sheeran removed Macklemore from his tour under pressure from venue owners, and she’s calling out both the British pop star and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft for what she sees as selective activism.

“Folks have platforms and use their positions to express their feelings around human rights, around protecting people, but it seems there’s always an exception when it comes to Palestinian lives,” Tlaib told TMZ.

She emphasized that when artists try to uplift Palestinian causes, they face immediate vilification and targeting.

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“When you want to uplift and protect Palestinian lives, all of a sudden you are vilified, targeted, and unfortunately, these billionaires that own these stadiums, which are publicly funded stadiums, are trying to breach someone’s First Amendment right to be able to uplift, use their music, their art, to basically save lives, no matter faith or ethnicity.”

The situation unfolded after Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he shouted “Free Palestine” and flew a Palestinian flag during his set.

Venues on Sheeran’s upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if Macklemore remained as support. Kraft, who controls Gillette Stadium, rallied other stadium owners to collectively pressure Sheeran into making the call.

Sheeran claimed it wasn’t his decision, but Tlaib sees it differently.

What really got under Tlaib’s skin is what she sees as a double standard: causes get platform support. Sheeran has been vocal about Ukraine, fundraising for relief efforts and even filming his “2Step” music video in Kyiv before the Russian invasion.

He donated YouTube royalties from that video to Ukrainian aid organizations. Yet when it comes to Palestine, Sheeran claims he doesn’t use his professional platform for politics.

“It’s unfortunate because he said he doesn’t want to take sides, but he did on Ukraine. ‘I’m for human rights,’ except for Palestinians. ‘I’m for freedom of speech and people saying what they want to do, even white supremists,’ but not for Palestine. There’s always an exception for Palestinian people, as if we’re disposable,” Tlaib explained.

The congresswoman’s frustration runs deeper than this tour. She’s connecting it to a broader pattern of silencing pro-Palestine voices.

“Three years into this genocide, and you got folks that are still trying to silence our movements. We’re not going to be silent,” she declared.

When asked about her personal response to Sheeran’s decision, Tlaib was direct.

“I stopped respecting him,” she said flatly.

She also took aim at Kraft specifically, calling for accountability beyond this tour controversy.

“Kraft and all these billionaire class…should actually be investigated for being tied to Epstein,” Tlaib stated, referencing Kraft’s appearance in the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice and his hiring of Epstein’s former lawyer for his own legal matters.

The mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, has already invited Macklemore to perform in the city, signaling that not everyone agrees with the tour removal decision.