America First, Made in China
By CG Morand
The White House Correspondence Dinner is one of Washington’s most treasured events: a black-tie celebration amongst Journalists, who cover the White House, esteemed politicians, and celebrities in the name of the First Amendment. Since 1921, the event has served as a fundraiser put together by the White House Correspondents’ Association to raise money for journalism scholarships and awards.
However, among a sea of sharp silhouettes and tailored tuxedos, one dress managed to eclipse them all. Not because of its elegance, but because of its price tag.
Jennifer Hegseth, wife of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, wore a beige off-the-shoulder dress, complete with a satin waistband and rhinestone detail. It’s the kind of bridesmaid dress you make your friends wear if you hate them.
Credit: Yahoo News
Regardless of its ill fit and tacky embellishments, the most shocking and noteworthy detail of Mrs. Hegseth’s dress is that it was purchased for $43 off SHEIN: the fast-fashion brand to end all fast-fashion brands.
New York City-based influencer and self-proclaimed “socialite socialist,” 18-year-old Ella Devi, broke the news on X about Mrs. Hegseth’s fashion crime of the evening. “Pete Hegseth’s wife wore a dress from Temu to the White House correspondents' dinner (I’m not joking).”
After a reverse image search falsely identified the dress from SHEIN’s competitor, Temu— where the site offers an incredibly similar dress for $20— Devi was quickly corrected by Trump supporters and right-wing news outlets.
Credit: SHEIN
In a New York Post article, Emily Crane pointed out that the dress was not less than $20, nor from Temu, and actually, “appears to be from SHEIN, the Chinese fast-fashion site. It costs $42.23 and has a rating of 4.88 stars out of 5 from happy customers.”
The issue with the outfit is not that the dress was inexpensive; it is the irony, wrapped in polyester and plastic, that Mrs. Hegseth opted for a mass-produced and overseas-manufactured dress, while aligning with a political movement built on “America First” economics.
The Republican Party has spent nearly a decade championing domestic manufacturing, tightening borders, and preaching economic nationalism under the promise of bringing the labor force “back to America”. It also acts as a key proponent in establishing unity within our borders.
Yet, ultra-fast fashion brands, especially SHEIN, have become a symbol for the kind of global supply chain that conservatives criticize: mass production, overseas labor, synthetic materials, and single-use consumerism.
In 2025, President Trump’s chip on his shoulder evolved into a full-blown trade war, fueled by his long-standing frustration over what he considers an unfair trade imbalance between the US and China. Trump ended the de minimus exception (a loophole that allows for goods under $800 to be imported without having to pay customs fees) and imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods
China retaliated, naturally, and for the next few months, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping went back and forth, raising tariffs on imported goods from each other’s countries. This resulted in an astounding 145% tariff on all Chinese goods in April of 2025.
Pete Hegseth in a meeting discussing going to war with China; Credit: The Australian
Pete Hegseth has also been especially vocal about his stance on the ongoing trade war with China. Exclaiming that he is “in the business of tanks and not trade,” affirming his focus on national defense, and using military strength. (A seemingly unnecessary addition, but then again, this is coming from the guy who renamed his job title to ‘Secretary of War’.)
So, the party that is all about putting America first, at the same time, has no issue discounting its principles for a good deal. Or rather, a cheap deal with an even cheaper backbone.
While Jennifer Hegseth’s dress might have cost $43, the symbolism is considerably more expensive. A sellout with expedited shipping. And while MAGA’s political movement has the illusion of being built on economic nationalism, it is stitched together by the very global system it claims to condemn.
