Former Canadian PM Faces Social Media Backlash after Kiss With Katy Perry

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has become the unlikely star of social media mockery after intimate photos surfaced showing him locking lips with pop sensation Katy Perry aboard her 24-metre yacht, the Caravelle, off Santa Barbara, California. Captured in late September by a tourist on a passing whale-watching boat and first published by the Daily Mail on October 11, the images depict Perry, 40, in a sleek black swimsuit, embracing a shirtless Trudeau, 53, clad in jeans and sunglasses. The pair's affectionate display—complete with hugs, cheek nuzzles, and a hand on Perry's backside—has amassed millions of views, reigniting months-old dating rumours and unleashing a torrent of memes, jabs, and outrage from detractors still smarting over his nine-year tenure.

The snapshots, which confirm speculation that began in July after the duo's intimate dinner at Montreal's Le Violon restaurant, quickly escalated into a viral sensation. Trudeau, spotted at Perry's "Lifetimes" tour concert days later, was seen strolling with her in Mount Royal Park, but the yacht escapade marks their most overt PDA yet. A witness recounted to the Daily Mail: "She pulled up her boat next to a small public whale-watching boat, then they started making out. I didn’t realise who she was with until I saw the tattoo on the guy’s arm." The Haida raven ink on Trudeau's left arm, a nod to Indigenous artistry, served as an inadvertent identifier. Neither has commented publicly, though insiders describe Trudeau as "persistent" in pursuing the "Firework" singer, who sources say views him as a "real catch".

Social media erupted with a mix of humour and vitriol, amplifying Trudeau's post-premiership glow-up into a punchline for his critics. One X user quipped, "Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry. One pretended to be an astronaut. One pretended to be a prime minister, riffing on Perry's Blue Origin space jaunt. Another lamented, "This conceivably means we're heading toward a future where Katy Perry writes songs about Justin Trudeau. What is life?" Harsher barbs targeted his legacy: "What kind of guy is Justin Trudeau? He is not sincere to his wife and kids either. Leave the country that he left in tatters. Shameless." A particularly pointed post read, "I couldn't care less who Trudeau is dating. What bothers me is this guy ruined the lives of millions... I want accountability." Memes proliferated, with edits superimposing the couple on sinking ships or captioned "Yacht in the act", while one viral clip from Fox News garnered over 1.2 million views. Defenders, though fewer, urged, "Give the man a break. He's single; he has given more than a decade of service."

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Trudeau's personal life has been under scrutiny since his August 2023 separation from Sophie Grégoire after 18 years, sharing custody of sons Xavier, 18, and Hadrien, 11, and daughter Ella-Grace, 16. He resigned as PM in March 2025 amid plummeting approval ratings below 20%—tied to inflation, housing crises, and scandals like the SNC-Lavalin affair—handing reins to Chrystia Freeland's interim government ahead of snap elections. Perry, fresh off a June 2023 split from Orlando Bloom after seven years and their daughter Daisy Dove, 5, has channelled the breakup into her chart-topping "Lifetimes" tour, grossing $150 million. Her prior marriage to Russell Brand ended in 2012 amid abuse allegations.

The frenzy underscores Trudeau's polarised image: a progressive heartthrob to admirers, a symbol of elite detachment to foes, especially as Canada grapples with post-Trudeau recovery. With no political comeback signalled, this celebrity dalliance—echoing past flings like with Bar Refaeli—offers a tabloid respite, though it risks alienating family-focused voters if he eyes future runs. As Perry preps her next album, the duo's yacht tryst proves even ex-leaders can't escape the public gaze's unrelenting flash.

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