Tragic Details About Justin Trudeau

Being the leader of a country seems like it'd be an awesome gig until you remember you have to deal with hardships just like everyone else — and many of those struggles end up on trial in the court of public opinion. Justin Trudeau, who was initially beloved as Canada's prime minister, has seen a fall from grace with the Canadian people. In a monumental move, Trudeau announced in January 2025 that he was stepping down from his leadership role after drama happened within his political party.

While his professional life is going through a rough patch, so is his personal one. The father of three separated from his longtime wife less than two years before. Since then, he's had to navigate his new life as a single man, while also enduring affair rumors. As the saying goes, it's lonely at the top, and Trudeau has had to manage his various public tragedies privately as best he can.

After nearly a decade as the 23rd prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau stepped down from the role in January 2025. A member of the Liberal Party, Trudeau reportedly received internal pressure from his own colleagues and decided to end his reign prematurely as Canada's leader. "This country deserves a real choice in the next election and it has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," he said at a press conference about his decision (via BBC).

Not being liked typically goes with the job of a politician, but when someone's own political party is fed up with them, it adds insult to injury. Having to announce he is stepping down — essentially, firing himself — is an awkward thing to do, especially if a person's career is a major part of their identity, which Trudeau's is. Plus, he had to tell his children his decision, which couldn't have been an easy thing to do.

Learning someone had gotten into your home while you were asleep is scary enough, but finding out it happened to your family when you were out of town and powerless to help is even worse. In 2014, a man broke into the Trudeau home at night while the politician was away on business. His wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and children were sleeping and thankfully had no idea what had transpired until they woke up the next morning.

The intruder left a seemingly ominous message for the family near the kitchen knives, warning that he could've robbed them and that they should lock their doors. It turns out the break-in was done by a drunk 19-year-old who mistakenly entered the Trudeau house, thinking it was his friend's abode instead. Charges weren't pressed by Ottawa police, and Staff Sergeant Kal Ghadban explained that the creepy note made by the interloper was, from the intoxicated teen's perspective, a way to apologize for the mistake (via CBC).

Naturally, Trudeau was still anxious about the encounter. "Everybody's safe, but the idea of someone getting into the house while my family was sleeping, while I'm away working is very distressing, to say the least," he said of the incident (via BBC).

Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau's relationship timeline began when they were kids and ultimately resulted in nearly two decades of marriage and three children. The couple seemed super happy — until they announced on social media in August 2023 that they were separating. The message the prime minister posted to Instagram read, "Sophie and I would like to share the fact that after many meaningful and difficult conversations, we have made the decision to separate." He added, "As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build."

Separating from a spouse isn't easy, but having the whole world scrutinize your relationship sounds like a nightmare. Unsurprisingly, Sophie was never the same after their split, and, presumably, neither was the politician.

To make matters worse, their split has an interesting tie to the prime minister's father. Justin isn't the first person in his family to hold the title of prime minister. His father, Pierre Trudeau, acted as Canada's prime minister for two terms: 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984. Pierre separated from his wife Margaret Trudeau in 1977, during the middle of his first term. Like father, like son.

As with many celebrity breakups, infidelity rumors swirled about Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. However, both Justin and Sophie were accused of being unfaithful to their partner, not just one of them. In 2014, the prime minister was asked by CBC about any extramarital affairs, which he strictly denied. Prior to that invasive question, Justin had admitted, "Our marriage isn't perfect, and we have had difficult ups and downs, yet Sophie remains my best friend, my partner, my love. We are honest with each other, even when it hurts." He mentioned all marriages go through non-affair-related challenges.

In 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic, Sophie tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Interestingly, actor Idris Elba also contracted the disease and revealed on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a now-deleted video, "I got tested because I realized I had been exposed to someone else who had also tested positive." Since both Sophie and Elba had been photographed at a charity event a few days prior, fans speculated they got it from each other, with some people wondering if they were having an affair.

Justin Trudeau and "Friends" star Matthew Perry grew up together. In 2017, Perry stopped by "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and revealed he went to elementary school with Trudeau, though he was a few years older than the prime minister. Perry admitted he and a friend beat up Trudeau because the politician was doing better in sports than they were. "It was pure jealousy," he said.

In response, Trudeau tweeted, "I've been giving it some thought, and you know what, who hasn't wanted to punch Chandler?" He then jokingly asked the actor for a rematch. After Perry's untimely death in October 2023, Trudeau expressed his sadness for his former classmate. He wrote on X, "Matthew Perry's passing is shocking and saddening. I'll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed."