Tate McRae: Team USA or Canada?

By: Olivia Longabardi, Staff Writer Edited by: Tessa Reiner

In the wake of political tensions between the United States and Canada, Canadian popstar Tate McRae is currently under fire for being featured in a Team USA Ad for the 2026 Winter Olympics. In the ad, she asks an owl for directions to Milan to meet Team USA.

According to the BBC, Canadian fans called the video “treason,” feeling betrayed by McRae’s promotion. This comes after President Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada and make it the 51st state. As a result, many Canadians are not fond of President Trump, which explains why partnering with the USA as a Canadian was seen as questionable.  

This is not McRae’s first time under some sort of controversy. In May 2025, fans expressed disdain when she collaborated with country singer Morgan Wallen, who previously received backlash for saying racial slurs. 

McRae responded to the backlash by posting a picture of her younger self holding a Canadian flag to her Instagram story. She wrote, "Y'all know I’m Canada down.” While McRae currently lives in Los Angeles, California and has stated that “Canada doesn’t feel like home anymore,” she is still making the effort to show Canada support.

Besides fans, Canadian students have their own opinions too. In this video by the CBC, Canadian students in Edmonton, Alberta were interviewed and asked their opinions on the ad. The views were split: some students were mad, some thought it was okay, and some were indifferent.

Culture critic Joan Summers told the CBC  that McRae may have done this because publically aligning with the US equates to musical success. “I think the reason you see so many non-U.S. pop stars move to the U.S., move to Los Angeles and become embedded in the American political, media, whatever would have you machine is because that is the path to success.” Overall, she believes that Team USA is where the money lies, and now that McRae resides in the US, this would be the best move for her career. Summers also talks about McRae’s comparisons to Britney Spears, and how aligning with the USA could be a wise move for her pop career. 

Celebrities do not get famous in Canada the way they do in the United States. Most Canadian artists live or are based in the United States now. Think of Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Shania Twain, or The Weeknd. These Canadian artists are huge in the US– one could even say their brand is focused here. By being in a Team USA ad, McRae may have seen an opportunity to ground herself in a country where stars flourish. So McRae’s decision to represent the United States isn’t necessarily malicious. If she is spending time and thriving here, then it makes sense to want to be associated with the country.

However, Tate should have stuck to representing her homeland. With her newfound fame, she has the potential to make a name for herself in her home country. The Olympics are a sport that unites people, and if she collaborated with Team Canada, she could have had the opportunity to bring her country together in a time of tension. McRae claims to be “Canada down,” and deep down,  she may have just believed that this was a wise career move. However, after Trump’s threats on Canada, it might not be the best look to promote the US as a Canadian.

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