With Justin Bieber in particular, I’ve never been a fan of taking his chaotic social media posts seriously. He grew up on social media and he uses Instagram as a diary, opening himself up for public consumption when really, he’s just talking out of his ass. So I’m not a fan of “Bieber has been a mess on IG, therefore his marriage is in trouble.” Well, that’s what I thought for a while. Nowadays, there’s so much reporting about his marriage trouble, I guess I sort of believe some of it now. I feel so sorry for Hailey Bieber – their son isn’t even one year old and she’s dealing with a husband who is acting out to get her attention. That’s what Us Weekly’s second cover story is about this week.

Hailey is stressed: While the couple, who welcomed Jack last August, appear to be maintaining a united front, sources tell Us Weekly their relationship is more complicated behind the scenes. “Things aren’t great right now,” says one source, noting that Justin’s erratic behavior is causing “a lot of stress” for Hailey.

A shift in their power dynamic: There’s also an obvious shift in the power dynamic between the duo. When the pair rekindled their romance in 2018, she was a budding model, while Justin was one of the biggest pop stars in the world. He hasn’t released an album since 2021’s Justice and announced he’d severed ties with his clothing brand, Drew House, in April. Hailey, meanwhile, landed the cover of Vogue’s June issue and sold her beauty brand, Rhode, for $1 billion. “Family issues have clouded her success,” says the first source. Adds a second: “Justin’s going through a difficult time, and Hailey is giving him room to get himself back on track. He’s doing his best, but it’s tough.”

He fired his team: He parted ways with his longtime manager, Scooter Braun, in 2023, and The Hollywood Reporter claimed in April that he’s estranged from his former friend (and best man at his wedding to Hailey) and Drew House partner Ryan Good. (In May, an insider told Us that “no one is really managing Justin’s day-to-day or career… He’s really on his own.”) Adds the first source: “His friend group has shifted, and [he’s been] navigating fatherhood and trying to put out music. [It’s all] been a lot for him.”

Hailey is the stable parent. “Justin’s been a hard person to deal with recently because of what he’s going through,” says the first source. “Hailey is the stable parent and the one keeping their family together. It’s been really hard on her.” The second source says there have been more “ups and downs” than usual for the couple. “Things have been very tense in the last month. Hailey’s worried about Justin, especially with a [baby at home]. He hasn’t been down like this in quite some time, so there’s concern.” While Justin continues to lash out publicly, she’s the one holding things down. The online backlash “frustrates her,” says the second source. [But] she knows that’s part of the industry and who she’s married to.”

There’s no talk of divorce: According to both sources, the couple is determined to make it through this rough patch. They renewed their vows last May in Hawaii, and in Hailey’s Vogue cover story, she insisted she and Justin are going strong. “They don’t talk about divorce,” says the first source. The second source says the chances of them splitting “are very slim, especially because of their faith.” The couple are members of Churchome, a Christian community led by pastor Judah Smith, who is also Justin’s spiritual advisor. “Faith is a big part of their life,” says the source. “They believe they are soulmates and meant for each other.”

No jealousy? “They’ll do anything to make it work,” says the second source. As for talk about Justin feeling outshined by Hailey’s recent success — the singer’s odd Instagram comment under her Vogue shoot admitting he’d once told her she’d “never” be the cover to “get even” after a fight didn’t sit well with fans — the second source insists there is no jealousy. “Justin only wants the best for her.” Ultimately, the source says the ball is in Hailey’s court, and she’s standing by Justin’s side. “He’s a loose cannon, and Hailey’s making room for that,” says the second source, adding that she hasn’t lost faith in the relationship or his accountability as a father. “They are going to get through it.”

[From Us Weekly]

Again, I feel so sorry for Hailey. I hope she’s not trying to navigate all of this on her own – I’m not sure what her relationship is with her father, but I know she’s quite close to her mom, and I hope her mom is staying close. Hailey has always been the one to “hold things down” in this marriage and she’s the one doing all of the emotional labor, if not the physical labor of raising their ten-month-old son. Also: it honestly feels like Justin fell apart as soon as Hailey sold Rhode and collected a huge check, right? She has walking-away money and he knows it, and it’s destroying him.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, cover courtesy of Us Weekly.