Singer Christopher Cross apologizes to Canadians, blasts Trump amid trade rift

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Christopher Cross paused his concert in Toronto on Sunday to apologize to the Canadian crowd for President Trump, using a vulgarity to describe him as tensions between the U.S. and Canada escalate over tariffs and a dispute over Lake Ontario’s name.

Mr. Cross, 75, best known for hits such as “Sailing” and “Ride Like the Wind,” was performing at the RBC Amphitheatre as part of a tour opening for the band Toto when he addressed the audience between songs.

“I want to tell you how much we love your country and appreciate your country very much,” Mr. Cross told the crowd. “And I’m very sorry and embarrassed that we have an a—hole for a president,” according to Guitar Player.

The singer told the crowd not to give up on the U.S., noting an election is approaching, and joked that trade between the two countries would eventually resume. He also predicted he might be “ejected” from his home country over the remarks, Complex reported.

Mr. Cross’ comments came amid a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Canada relations. Mr. Trump imposed a 50% tariff on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods last month after trade talks broke down, and Canada has announced matching counter-tariffs set to take effect Tuesday, Complex reported. Several Canadian provinces separately banned U.S. liquor sales in early 2025 in response to an earlier round of Trump tariffs, a boycott that in most provinces remains in place.

The rift has also spilled into a fight over geography. Mr. Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” an escalation from his earlier renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, according to NPR. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded by unveiling a lakeside billboard reading “Lake Ontario — Now and Always,” telling reporters “the rest of the world will always call it Lake Ontario,” NPR reported.

Mr. Cross opened his set with his 2011 song “Dreamers,” which samples part of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. He told the crowd the recording represented “a very dark time in my country, which is happening again,” per Complex.

Mr. Cross is not the only musician to weigh in on the trade dispute during Toronto tour stops; Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson referenced the lake-renaming fight during his band’s show at the same venue the night before, and Canadian rock band Blue Rodeo made a similar point from the same stage, according to the Daily Beast.

Sunday’s Toronto show was the scheduled final date of Mr. Cross’ 32-city North American tour with Toto, which began in July.