Carlson defends Macklemore's remarks, calls Kraft's tour ban "censorship"
Tucker CarlsonHost, The Tucker Carlson Show
Tucker Carlson defended Macklemore's "Free Palestine" remarks as legitimate criticism of a government rather than antisemitism, and called Robert Kraft's role in Macklemore's tour removal "censorship" and "very foolish."
“Criticism of the behavior of a secular government is not criticism of an entire people, many of whom disapprove... That is not Jew hate... it's not a defense of any one person. It's a defense of the truth... the inalienable right of every person to express their views.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech and removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour
At two Ed Sheeran concerts at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore called for a free Palestine, accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, and said criticism of Israel was not criticism of Jewish people. After venue objections, tour promoter Messina Touring Group said he would not perform the remaining U.S. Loop Tour dates. Critics characterized the performance as hostile or inappropriate; Macklemore defended it as a call for equal treatment.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
Tucker Carlson Show episode with guest Ana Kasparian, defending Macklemore's 'Free Palestine' remarks and condemning Robert Kraft's role in his tour removal.
Before the quotation
Reading Macklemore's own statement on-air, with guest Ana Kasparian, September 16, 2026.
After the quotation
Carlson noted that Kraft himself privately dislikes the Netanyahu government's behavior, calling the tour ban 'very foolish.'
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Carlson directly defends Macklemore's 'Free Palestine' remarks as legitimate criticism of a government rather than antisemitism, and explicitly condemns Robert Kraft's role in the tour removal as censorship, a clear defense of Macklemore's conduct and condemnation of the response to it.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Macklemore, Robert Kraft
More from this case
Read the full caseMacklemore says the "billionaire class" should not decide "which voices are allowed on stage"
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention. So we're going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.”Read statement
Jewish Voice for Peace says the backlash to Macklemore's removal shows support for pro-Palestine speech
Jewish Voice for Peace
“Two years into Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine organizing, the backlash against Sheeran shows how little patience Americans have for attacks on pro-Palestine speech. It also demonstrates the shift toward support for Palestinian rights among everyday Americans that our movements have helped propel.”Read statement
Macklemore announces "Free Palestine Tour" after removal from U.S. dates
“To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”Read statement
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- Carlson defends Macklemore's remarks, calls Kraft's tour ban "censorship"
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The Dispute Index. "Carlson defends Macklemore's remarks, calls Kraft's tour ban "censorship"". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/853-tucker-carlson-defended-macklemore-s-free-palestine-remarks