President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario has turned into a cross-border merchandise opportunity, with dueling hats now available from Canadian designers and the president's own business. The competing products reflect a broader political clash over the renaming of the body of water that borders both the United States and Canada.
In Ottawa, husband-and-wife founders Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane of the design studio Jackpine launched a $40 "Lake Ontario" hat through their "Canada Is Not for Sale" brand. The navy and green hats feature the lake's longtime name with a red Canadian maple leaf on the front, while "Canada Is Not for Sale" is embroidered on the back. Matching shirts and stickers are also available. The collection has sold several thousand items in just over a week, including more than 1,000 to customers in the United States, according to Mooney.
The Canadian design is a direct response to Trump's rhetoric about Canada, which the president has repeatedly called the 51st state. Mooney said the brand aims to "subvert President Trump's most powerful political symbol and meet him where he is from our perspective — which is a very transactional president who sees the world as a zero-sum game." The phrase "Canada Is Not for Sale" is written in the same Times New Roman font Trump uses for his "Make America Great Again" hats. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has worn one of the hats, and the design has clearly struck a chord with consumers on both sides of the border.
The Canadian-made version of the collection is sold exclusively to shoppers in Canada, with $1 from each sale donated to Swim Drink Fish, a Toronto charitable organization that advocates for clean water. The collection is otherwise available internationally.
Meanwhile, the Trump Store is selling $55 "Lake America" hats in red or blue, with "45/47" embroidered on the side. The product listing tells customers to allow 10 to 15 business days for shipping due to high demand. This is not the first time Trump has turned renaming stunts into merchandise — he previously sold "Gulf of America" hats and prop executive orders through his campaign shop last year. Since returning to office, he has shifted his merchandising focus from his campaign to his business, launching more than 600 items and creating an unprecedented revenue stream for a sitting president.
The renaming itself remains unpopular with the American public. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released last week found that 63% of Americans oppose the move, with only 14% in favor. The executive order also carries financial costs for taxpayers, as federal and local governments are forced to change signs, software, maps, and tourism materials to reflect the new name.
Beyond the merchandise, the renaming has prompted other symbolic responses. Ford helped unveil new "Lake Ontario" signage on the Canadian side of the lakefront, and residents have looked into renaming Ottawa's "Trump Street." In the United States, downloads have surged for MapQuest, which has not renamed the lake even as other map applications have.