FILE PHOTO: Ed Sheeran performs during the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden, in New York City, U.S., December 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper/File Photo
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) says Ed Sheeran won't be playing in her car anytime soon, but that she's focusing her fury at billionaire Robert Kraft.
Macklemore's ouster from Sheeran's tour prompted TMZ to ask the star Democrat whether she changes the station when Sheeran comes on the car radio.
"I am," she replied.
Then Ocasio-Cortez, who faces a big decision about her political future, went after the New England Patriots owner.
"It's not just what has happened with the act, and not just in removing Macklemore from the lineup, but when you see what Robert Kraft did to line up all of the stadiums to censor speech in that one specific way, it's become clear that this is not just about one music artist or two music artists, but this is about how just a handful of stadium owners and the elite can prevent an entire massive issue, in this case the genocide in Gaza," Ocasio-Cortez said.
She warned the same pressure could be used against anyone speaking out about AI or any other issue.
Asked about Sheeran's responsibility, she said she didn't know, since she has no idea what contracts or financial entanglements are involved. The right thing to do is speak out about an abuse of power, she said.
"If they're saying that to him, right, then they can say it to anybody, and at what point does it stop?" she said.
Ocasio-Cortez, whose critics on the right recently made even Trump insiders cringe, said she has empathy for Sheeran's situation. She added that he plays a role, but the focus belongs on Kraft.
Macklemore led "Free Palestine" chants while opening Sheeran's Sept. 4-5 shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. On Monday, he said Sheeran told him Kraft had barred him from Gillette Stadium and rallied other stadium owners against him. Kraft confirmed the ban, citing what he described as a history of rhetoric offensive to the Jewish community.
Sheeran insisted that dropping Macklemore was the promoter's call. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Sheeran's backing band Beoga all quit the tour in solidarity.