Trump's Press Secretary Faces Backlash Over Chinese-Made Dress Amid Tariff Dispute

April 16, 2025 | 08:45 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The trade war tariffs between the United States and China have now reached social media, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at the center of the controversy. She was criticized for allegedly wearing a dress made in China.

The issue began when Chinese diplomat Zhang Zhisheng called out Leavitt for wearing a dress featuring lace sourced from China, according to an NDTV report.

Zhang pointed out the contrast between the tough trade stance of the Donald Trump administration and the everyday reality people face.

Zhang, who serves as the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Denpasar, Indonesia, shared a photo of Leavitt’s dress on X, along with a screenshot from a Weibo user. The user claimed that the lace on Leavitt’s dress was produced in a factory in Mabu, China, where they are employed.

"Accusing China is business. Buying in China is life. The beautiful lace on the dress was recognized by an employee of a Chinese company as its product," diplomat Zhang wrote on X.

Many defended Leavitt, stating that the dress from the Chinese website might be a fake.  "Chinese people are notorious for bootleg clothes. It's more likely that they copied a luxury brand's jacket," said a Weibo user.

Some social media users accused her of being hypocritical for wearing Chinese-made products

"Leavitt slams Made in China while rocking a Chinese-made dress, hypocrisy much? Tariffs hit hard, but her wardrobe says she's all for it. Classic politician move: blame China, but keep the cheap goods," one user commented.

Beijing imposed tariffs as high as 125 percent on U.S. imports in retaliation for the U.S. levying a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods.

On Tuesday evening, the U.S. announced that China would now face new import tariffs of up to 245 percent due to its retaliatory actions, according to a statement from the White House.

In its latest announcement, the White House's latest administrative order has launched a national security investigation into the import of vital resources. The order also includes an explanation of the retaliatory tariffs announced on April 2, 2025.

"China now faces up to a 245% tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions," the White House said in a statement on Tuesday evening. 

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