Rufus Wainwright Alters O Canada Lyrics at World Series in Apparent Trump Protest

Rufus Wainwright, performing before Game 5 of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium, altered the Canadian national anthem's lyrics from "true patriot love in all of us command" to "true patriot love that only us command" as a subtle protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that Canada become the "51st state." This lyrical change, delivered bilingually, echoed a similar modification by Canadian singer Chantal Kreviazuk earlier in the year amid tariff tensions. Other Canadian artists, including JP Saxe, have also made notable lyric changes during recent anthem performances, sparking conversations about national identity and political expression. While some applauded these artistic statements, critics pointed to issues with vocal performance and passion, particularly criticizing Wainwright and Saxe for their out-of-tune renditions and altered lyrics. Major League Baseball has been under pressure to select anthem singers who can uphold tradition without controversy as the World Series continues. The anthem lyric changes are part of a broader pattern of Canadian musicians using their platform to respond to political tensions with the U.S.