Ever since Taylor Swift took to Tumblr on Sunday (June 30) to post a lengthy journal entry accusing Scooter Braun of subjecting her to "incessant, manipulative bullying" for years, several celebrities have taken sides. Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato — both of whom are Braun's clients — have vouched for their manager on their personal social media accounts.

Other stars, including Todrick Hall, Cara Delevigne, and Halsey, have stood by Swift after learning that Braun purchased her former record label for $300 million. But Ed Sheeran, a longtime pal of Swift, has chosen to stay publicly quiet amid the drama, and fans have noticed.

If you look at Sheeran's Instagram, you'll see that his comments are flooded with Swifties asking why he hasn't defended Taylor publicly. And although Ed's always preferred to stay out of drama, the "Perfect" singer has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism over his decision to stay silent. "Speak up for Taylor," one fan wrote. "You really should post something and stick up for Taylor," someone else added. And after getting thousands of more comments just like those, Sheeran finally responded to a supportive fan who suggested that, perhaps, the two were speaking privately about the situation, as real friends typically do. "I have been speaking directly to her," he wrote. "Like I always do."

And while most fans were thrilled to learn that the two are speaking about this privately, others continued to ask Ed to speak out on behalf of his friend. "Don't you think it's important for men to speak up?" one fan asked — a valid concern, especially considering Sheeran's recent collaboration with Bieber on their hit song, "I Don't Care" (as well as their past creative partnership).

Clearly, people have a lot of conflicted feelings about whether Ed should use his platform to voice his support for Taylor after notoriously staying out of drama for much of his career. And ultimately, it's only a decision he can make. At this point, the only thing we know for sure is that Swift's drama with Braun is extremely complicated, and only time will tell how it will all pan out. For now, it's important to point out that Sheeran has been there for Swift amid this mess — even if not publicly. After all, if Taylor needs anything right now, it's the support of those who've been there for her through it all, and that includes Ed.