Katy Perry, Victoria’s Secret Models, Can’t Get Travel Visas To China, Can Trump Help?

President Donald Trump has just returned from a twelve-day tour of Asia, spending time with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump spoke out and tweeted about his excellent relationship with President Xi, but high-profile American citizens are being denied travel visits to China for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai. Now the fashion show is crumbling as performers, models, journalists, and fashion bloggers are unable to travel to China, and they could use President Trump’s help handling the diplomatic situation.

While there is no connection between the Trump’s trip to China and the sudden denial of travel visas for Americans, for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Trump has shown a willingness to reach out in these situations. Just this week Trump intervened on behalf of LiAngelo Ball and two other UCLA basketball players who have admitted to shoplifting while they were in China.

Trump tweeted that he called President Xi of China and the three UCLA players were released.

“President Xi has been terrific on that subject… But that was not a good subject. That was not something that should have happened. What they did was unfortunate. You know, you’re talking about very long prison sentences. They [Chinese officials] do not play games.”

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask Trump to intervene on behalf of Victoria’s Secret, and American business and reach out to President Xi of China.

And if President Trump was going to help, this would be the time, because the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is said to be crumbling. Right now, Katy Perry, who was set to perform during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and Gigi Hadid, who was supposed to walk in the show are unable to secure travel visas to China.

Katy Perry has reportedly been banned from China indefinitely. PageSix said that while Perry was originally told she could gain entry to China, she now has been denied. Supposedly, Perry has been denied a travel visa to China to sing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show based on a costume choice she made in 2015. Perry supposedly wore a green dress with sunflowers for a show in Taipei, and sunflowers are the symbol used by anti-China protestors.

Sources involved with helping to secure visas for the talent commented on the struggles of working in China.

“She was initially granted a visa to perform at the VS show in Shanghai, then Chinese officials changed their minds and yanked her visa. For every artist who wants to perform in China, officials comb through their social-media and press reports to see if they have done anything deemed to be offensive to the country. Maroon 5 was banned a few years ago because one band member wished the Dalai Lama happy birthday on Twitter.”

Gigi Hadid, Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva, Irina Sharipova, and Adriana Lima have all been denied visas at this point to China, and as of this posting will not participate in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show. Harry Styles, a British citizen, has been penciled in to replace Katy Perry, as he was able to get a travel visa to China.

Gigi Hadid tweeted that she will not be attending the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China, but she didn’t mention her visa problems.

“I’m so bummed I won’t be able to make it to China this year,” she wrote on Twitter Thursday. “Love my VS family, and will be with all my girls in spirit!! Can’t wait to tune in with everyone to see the beautiful show I know it will be, and already can’t wait for next year! ? x”

The buzz is that Gigi Hadid’s problems securing a visa to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China was due to a video her sister Bella Hadid posted of Gigi slanting her eyes while holding a Buddha cookie. The video was taken down, and Gigi Hadid apologized on Weibo to the people of China.

“It hurts me to hurt anyone, and I want you all to know that it was never my intent to offend anyone through my actions and I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt or felt let down by me.”

Whether or not President Donald Trump would choose to get involved in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s current issues in China is unclear, but it’s possible that he could clear up travel visa problems with President Xi of China.

[Featured Image by Chris Pizzello/AP Images]