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Canada has entered a culture war against Donald Trump, and the battlefield is… coffee shops.
That’s right. Our usually mild-mannered friends north of the border have decided to dunk on Trump’s ongoing threats toward Canadian trade goods and his outrageous suggestion that Canada should meekly become the 51st state. Rather than responding with aggression, Canadian coffee shop owners have quietly rechristened the “Americano” drink as the “Canadiano.” And the ingredient in this drink is pure, unfiltered Canadian defiance.
The renaming serves as a subtle form of protest against U.S. policies, including proposed tariffs and comments suggesting Canada should become the 51st state. While some café owners aim to remain apolitical, they embrace the “Canadiano” as a lighthearted way to support national…
— AZ (@AzZaid) March 8, 2025
An Americano is a simple but elegant coffee drink made by diluting a shot (or two) of espresso with hot water. The result is something that tastes a bit like drip coffee but with a smoother, richer flavor. Legend has it that the Americano got its name during World War II, when American soldiers stationed in Italy found the local espresso too strong for their tastes. To make it more palatable, they added water, creating a weaker version of the beloved Italian staple. And thus, the Americano was born. This backstory makes the Canadiano rebranding even more deliciously ironic. Turning a drink with roots in American insecurity into a symbol of Canadian pride? That’s some master-level trolling.
Historically, food and drink have always been convenient pawns in political disputes. During World War I, anti-German sentiment ran so high in America that patriotic restaurateurs and diners desperately tried to rechristen hamburgers as “Liberty Sandwiches.” Americans also took aim at frankfurters. These popular German-origin sausages were hastily rebranded “hot dogs,” a name that stuck far better than “Liberty Puppies” might have. Thankfully, “hot dogs” was catchy enough to survive future diplomatic breakdowns.
As they should
— Sharty Bae FAN (@PettyNickiMinaj) March 8, 2025
In the early 2000s, after France opposed America‘s Iraq War campaign (prompting the legendary “Freedom Fries” incident), some conservative Americans took the food feud further by refusing to buy French wine or cheese. Some even called Brie cheese “Liberty Brie.” Sadly for patriots everywhere, “Liberty Brie” failed to catch on. More recently, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western bars and restaurants boldly stood up to Vladimir Putin by renaming “Moscow Mule” cocktails as “Kyiv Mule.”
Lmfao I’m American but I support this level of petty
— lex in tx (@alexissTyler) March 8, 2025
Sure, maybe renaming coffee drinks won’t rewrite trade deals overnight — but it’s an undeniably satisfying form of resistance that both Canadians and Americans can appreciate. Let’s also remind ourselves that beneath Canadians’ stereotypical civility simmers a national sport where “sorry” is muttered only after you’ve thoroughly pummeled your opponent.