Pop star Justin Bieber has once again found himself at the center of social media controversy, this time over a recent Instagram post featuring his baby boy, Jack Blues. The 31-year-old singer, who shares Jack with wife Hailey Bieber, posted a series of photos from a mountain getaway with close friends — but some images ignited concern among followers about him smoking in proximity to his infant son.
In the carousel posted on Thursday, Bieber is seen enjoying serene moments with his baby, including a tender shot where he gazes down at Jack while relaxing on a porch. However, another image — taken in the same setting — shows the singer smoking a roll-up cigarette with a friend, though Jack is not pictured in that frame.
Despite the separation in photos, some fans raised concerns about the possibility of secondhand smoke exposure. Comments such as “Don’t smoke in front of your kid” and “I hope you’re not smoking around Jack, Justin” populated the post. One critic wrote, “Dude there is no way you have the baby around that smoke… be better like we know you can be.”
Fans jump to Bieber’s defense
Amid the backlash, many fans were quick to defend Bieber, pointing out that the images where he is smoking clearly do not show Jack nearby. One user clarified, “Guys, the picture with the baby you can see Jack’s feet on his leg. The picture of him smoking — the baby is clearly NOT there.” Another supporter wrote, “Let’s use our brains — Jack isn’t even pictured in the photos where he’s smoking.” Other commenters emphasized that the moments were captured separately and that assumptions were being made unfairly. “You don’t see that man smoking with his baby in NONE of these pics! Y’all say anything for attention,” one fan noted. Beyond the smoking debate, the post captures multiple heartwarming and casual moments. In one shot, Jack is perched on Bieber’s shoulders as the pair enjoy the outdoors. In another, the pop star is seen shirtless in blue shorts, with his baby’s tiny feet resting on his leg. Additional images show Bieber relaxing on a driveway, standing near an outdoor bar, and enjoying laughs with friends around snacks and a golf cart. He captioned the post to his 294 million followers: “Gonna be a good summer.”
Notably absent from the Instagram post was Bieber’s wife Hailey, who gave birth to Jack in August 2024. The post comes shortly after a different controversy, in which Justin drew criticism for referencing a past fight with Hailey in a now-deleted caption. In that post, he admitted to once telling her she would “never be on the cover of Vogue” during an argument. The message concluded with a reflection on maturity and the need for connection over conflict: “As we mature, we realize that we’re not helping anything by getting even.” He later replaced the caption with a shrugging emoji.
Rhode’s billion-dollar milestone and solo celebrations
While Bieber stirred discussion online, Hailey Baldwin Bieber was celebrating a major professional milestone. Her skincare line Rhode was acquired in a $1 billion deal by E.l.f. Cosmetics. Despite her husband not joining the celebratory dinner in West Hollywood, Bieber did repost the announcement and shared affectionate pictures of the couple on Instagram.
Hailey, who will stay on as Founder, Chief Creative Officer, and Head of Innovation, expressed excitement over the brand’s next chapter. “When I launched @rhode in 2022, I always had big dreams for the company… this is only the beginning,” she wrote. Rhode’s product lineup includes skincare favorites like the Glazing Milk ($32), Barrier Butter ($38), and Peptide Glazing Fluid ($32), along with makeup offerings such as Pocket Blush ($24) and Peptide Lip Tint ($18). E.l.f. Beauty’s Chairman and CEO Tarang Amin praised the acquisition, stating: “Rhode is a beautiful brand that we believe is ready for rocketship growth.”