The song's lyrics explore Pink's belief that the United States' government had failed its people and sent a message about those who feel unheard or forgotten.

Music critics gave "What About Us" mostly positive reviews; many of them commended the production and Pink's vocal performance while others appreciated the song's political message and the anthemic nature of the composition.

It depicts Pink and members of minority groups performing several choreographed routines in an abandoned city while being chased by searchlights from hovering helicopters.

[17][18][19] According to Pink, the "more sophisticated" nature of the song stems from the poetic and inclusive lyrics, which send a message about people around the world who feel ignored or forgotten.

[8] According to him, Mac's technique of using repetitive chords can be compared with a heartbeat or a mantra, giving the song a sense of "this incredible, epic celebration" and unity.

[21][22] Prior to the single's release in July 2017, Pink teased it on her social media page using a recording made on the set of the music video .

[29][30] "What About Us" was released for digital download and streaming on August 10, 2017, by RCA Records as the lead single from Beautiful Trauma, along with the pre-order of the album.

[11] Writing for The New York Times, Caryn Ganz commended the track and highlighted Pink's vocals, saying, "she lets the emotion in her tremendous voice do the heavy lifting, shifting from wonder to frustration to anger".

[36] Vulture writer Dee Lockett was impressed by the song's upbeat production in contrast with the lyrics about "capturing such a desperate mood".

[38] While reviewing Beautiful Trauma, Mike Nied of Idolator praised "What About Us" for being an "insightful statement" and lauded the "effortlessly cool" production.

[39] Mike Wass, also from Idolator, favored the track's blending of acoustic and electronic elements and praised Pink for being able to create a political song "without being obnoxious".

[42] In his review of Beautiful Trauma for Variety, Chris Willman labeled the song a "sad dance-floor thumper" with beseeching, "soul-searching" lyrics.

[45] Chris Gerard from the Washington Blade described it as a "yearning, emotional anthem" and noted Pink's "sincere and deeply felt" vocals, saying the song is "among the finest singles" of her career.

[12] ABC News critic Allan Raible named "What About Us" one of the standout tracks from Beautiful Trauma and wrote Pink's vocal performance gives it a "surprisingly organic heft".

[71][72] The song has since been certified seven-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), signifying sales of 490,000 equivalent units in Australia.

[77] Kim Bowen and Elise Navidad chose outfits inspired by the UK art school scene, which were described as a fusion of "grunge with folk, or punk with tie-dye and sportswear".

[79] The main theme of the music video is a lost generation of abandoned and unheard people uniting through dance, symbolizing love.

[79][78][80] The video commences with a series of interspersed scenes that show an urban area, a helicopter police chase, two men hugging, a group of social outcasts consoling each other and Pink staring into the camera while her hair is shaved off.

[78][80][84][85] As the song opens, Pink, with a diverse group of people, dances in a parking lot surrounded by abandoned police cars with flashing lights.

Interspersed scenes show Pink singing and wearing a black hoodie with gold sequin pants - and her hair in a triple ponytail.

Eric King of Entertainment Weekly said the video emphasizes the song's political message and praised the "powerful same-sex dance routine", saying, "It's an emotive watch, and one that makes a clear statement about life for minorities in Trump's America".

[84] Rolling Stone writer Daniel Kreps called the video "stirring" and likening the storyline and concept to "those whose rights are in danger in Trump's America: immigrants, same-sex couples, minorities and more".

[78] McNeilage praised the video for being a political "direct protest" while writing "the two male dancers' beautiful performances is a clear highlight".

Hughes said the performance included "some of the most breathtaking choreography of the night" while Nicholas Hautman of Us Weekly praised the "impressive dance break" and the singer's "impeccable vocals".

[100] On Saturday Night Live on October 14, 2017, Pink performed "What About Us" wearing a brown tweed vest, a jacket, and large gold hoop earrings.

[103] On October 22, 2017, she performed the song during CBS Radio's "We Can Survive" benefit concert for breast cancer awareness at the Hollywood Bowl.

[110] On December 5, 2017, Pink traveled to France and performed a concert at the Élysée Montmartre in Paris as part of the NRJ Music Tour, with her setlist including "What About Us".

[113] The track was also performed as part of the Beautiful Trauma World Tour (2018–2019), where it was preceded by a video interlude that features Pink talking about the Me Too movement, gay marriage, and inclusion.

After watching the performance as part of Glamour's "You Sang My Song" video series, Pink was impressed and praised her cover, saying, "That is better than I will ever sound".

Meredith Kile‍ of Entertainment Tonight said Clarkson's voice "fits perfectly" into a version of the song and that her performance "[reminded] us to keep fighting for those happy ever afters".