Singer Ellie Goulding, after originally being scheduled to perform for the Thanksgiving halftime show during the Cowboys vs. Bills game, has threatened to back out of the performance due to the event’s ties to the Salvation Army, the Daily Caller reports.
The event is set to mark the launch of the Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle Campaign, where bell-ringers at storefronts around the country ask for donations that will “provide shelter to the homeless and holiday gifts for children.”
However, Goulding made unsubstantiated claims that the historic charity organization is anti-LGBTQ, and thus threatened to withdraw from the event “unless they very quickly make a solid, committed pledge or donation to the LGBTQ community.”
While claiming to be “a committed philanthropist” whose “heart has always been in helping the homeless,” Goulding said that supporting the Salvation Army “is clearly not something I would ever intentionally do.” This is despite the fact that she had volunteered at a Salvation Army event earlier in the week, and posted about it on Instagram. Following her announcement, the post has been overrun with negative comments criticizing her for her false accusations and grand-standing against the Salvation Army.