Why Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau’s Davos appearance became controversial

Pop star Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were present at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This was the first major public appearance that the two made as a couple.

Their appearance has created quite a buzz on the internet, with some criticising the couple. This came after a video shared by the Female Quotient, an organisation promoting gender equality, stated that 'showing up matters'.

Here's what exactly happened.

Katy Perry cheers for Justin Trudeau

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was a speaker at the Female Quotient's Equality Lounge at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. He was there to discuss issues affecting women at the workplace like bias, pay gaps and leadership gaps, along with his former Chief of Staff Katie Telford.

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However, more than Trudeau's speech, what caught everyone's attention was the presence of his partner and global icon Katy Perry at the event.

A video of the incident has gone viral, where Perry can be seen playfully sneaking into the event while Trudeau is on stage. Perry is also seen winking at her boyfriend, who reciprocates the gesture.

According to Female Quotient, Perry snuck into the lounge 'to support' Trudeau at the event. Her appearance was presented as a reminder that presence matters. Sharing a video of the two lovebirds on social media platform Instagram, Female Quotient wrote, "Canada’s former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, joined us in the FQ Lounge at #WEF26."

It further said, Katy was supporting Justin as he and Katie Telford, his former Chief of Staff, reminded us that it’s not enough to just notice a lack of women and diversity in the room; we have to design systems that actually bring women and underrepresented voices forward and give them space to lead.”

Internet reacts to Perry's appearance

However, the post did not resonate as intended and prompted a divided response, with praise for the couple’s mutual support countered by criticism over the relevance of the content to the account’s usual focus on women’s empowerment in business.

One of the users wrote, "What a disappointing post.... I expected better from this account." While another said, "No, this post does not align with what I thought your page supported. Disappointed to say the least (with a sad face emoji)."

A third user wrote, "Is this account not supposed to be about female empowerment and not gossip? What is exactly the point of this video? Also please do not forget she was on Bezos’ origin rocket just a few months ago."

Another user wrote, "This ain't it. Celebrities sitting around philosophising while taking no actual steps to uplift women shouldn't be getting your amplification. Who cares who Justin or Katy is dating?"

Meanwhile, some praised the couple and wrote, "Okay, this is really cute," while another wrote, "I’m all in!"

Perry and Trudeau arrive hand-in-hand

Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau made their first public appearance as a couple at the World Economic Forum by walking hand-in-hand. While the former prime minister wore a navy blue suit and a patterned tie, the I Kissed A Girl singer donned a beige buttoned sweater and a matching pencil skirt. Perry completed her outfit with a sophisticated low bun and large square gold earrings.

Katy Perry looks on as Canada's former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. AP

The rumours of the two dating first erupted in July 2025 after they were seen dining together at a restaurant in Montreal, Canada. Their romance became public in late October, with the pair spotted leaving Paris’ Le Crazy Horse cabaret together on Perry’s birthday.

Their romance became Instagram official in December, only days after their first diplomatic date. Former Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida later shared a photo of the lunch he and his wife, Yuko, had with Perry and Trudeau.

In August 2023, Trudeau announced his separation from his wife of 18 years, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, with whom he has three children. He stepped down from the position of prime minister of Canada in 2024 following a decade at the top office.

Meanwhile, Perry announced her split from British actor Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares five-year-old daughter Daisy Dove Bloom, in July.

With inputs from agencies