Chinese Diplomat’s Claim About White House Press Secretary’s Dress Sparks Debate Amid Trade Tensions

A Chinese diplomat’s online jab has stirred fresh controversy amid escalating trade tensions between the US and China. Zhang Zhisheng, the Chinese Consul General in Denpasar, Indonesia, posted a photo of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wearing a red dress with black lace at a recent public event — alleging that the lace was manufactured in Mabu, China.

“Accusing China is business. Buying China is life,” Zhang wrote on platform X (formerly Twitter), sparking thousands of reactions. His post included a screenshot from Chinese platform Weibo, where a user claimed to recognize the lace as a product of a Chinese factory.

While some social media users mocked the apparent hypocrisy of wearing Chinese-made materials while criticizing China, others dismissed the claim as speculative. A few came to Leavitt’s defense, pointing out that many luxury fashion brands globally outsource production to China.

The White House has not responded, and Leavitt has remained silent on the matter.

This development adds a symbolic twist to the ongoing economic face-off. China recently imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 125% on American goods, following earlier tariff hikes by former President Donald Trump, some of which he later suspended for most nations — excluding China.

Chinese state media criticized the US policy, calling it “a joke” and warning against “weaponizing trade.” Now, with diplomatic digs playing out on fashion choices, the rift between the two powers continues to grow — even on the runway.