Fashion Meets Politics: The China-Made Dress Stirring Up a Tariff Storm

Amid escalating tariff tensions between the United States and China, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has come under fire for wearing a dress reportedly made in China. The controversy arose after a photo of her wearing a red top during a press conference went viral on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu. The outfit was identified as being from British brand Self-Portrait, designed by Han Chong, a fashion designer of Chinese-Malaysian descent. Notably, the garment was said to be manufactured in China.

The first claim regarding the dress’s origin came from China’s Consul General in Bali, Zhang Zhisheng, who posted on X. According to Zhang, the black lace detail on the dress was recognized by a factory worker in China as their own handiwork. Zhang sarcastically remarked, “Accusing China is business. Buying from China is life,” while sharing screenshots and photos of Leavitt’s outfit. His post quickly drew widespread attention and reactions from netizens across platforms.

Online users were quick to mock Leavitt, calling her out for hypocrisy. “The hypocrite is exposed. This is hilarious,” wrote one user, while another quipped, “The joke wrote itself.” The irony of the situation was widely discussed, especially considering the heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and tariffs. Leavitt’s fashion choice became symbolic in online discourse of the complex economic ties between the two nations.

This incident unfolded just as the U.S. and China intensified their tariff war. On April 2, former President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs affecting over 180 countries, with China receiving a 34% tariff—excluding a global 10% tariff already in place. China swiftly retaliated with matching import taxes on American goods. In response, Trump increased the tariffs further, prompting another countermeasure from President Xi Jinping’s administration. Most recently, the U.S. imposed a massive 245% tariff on Chinese imports, to which China replied by reaffirming its stance: unwilling to provoke conflict, but unafraid to respond.