Lara Trump turned heads—and not in a good way—when she met President Xi Jinping during her father-in-law's China trip. The outfit? A long, loose-fitting white dress adorned with dark polka dots that had some online users questioning her fashion sense.
As President Trump, 79, and his entourage, including Lara, 43, arrived at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 13, the cameras were rolling. Footage captured Lara standing in line to greet Xi, 72, but it was her attire that stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Social media erupted with critiques. One user on X (formerly Twitter) quipped, “What in the kitchen table top dress is Lara Trump wearing?” While some were baffled by her choice, others offered a nod of approval. “Lara Trump stands out in the group photo in China. Pretty dress,” another user chimed in, suggesting she might be channeling the style of former First Lady Melania Trump, 56.
Melania opted out of this trip, leaving Lara to represent the family alongside a powerhouse lineup of business moguls like Elon Musk and Tim Cook. They’re all set to engage in high-stakes discussions with Xi during this pivotal State Visit.
Trump aims to solidify trade deals and purchase agreements with Beijing. He expressed his enthusiasm on Truth Social, stating, “I am very much looking forward to my trip to China, an amazing Country, with a Leader, President Xi, respected by all. Great things will happen for both Countries!”
The summit is expected to tackle hot-button issues like trade, artificial intelligence, export controls, Taiwan, and the ongoing conflict in Iran. Earlier this week, Trump hinted at discussing an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan that remains unfulfilled since its authorization last December.
Despite the fashion faux pas chatter surrounding Lara’s outfit, the real stakes lie in whether Trump can persuade Xi to leverage China's influence to push Iran towards U.S. terms for peace—or at least to open the Strait of Hormuz.
“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked during a White House briefing, referring to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “And that is that what you are doing in the Strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”
Stay tuned for more updates as this high-profile visit unfolds and see if Lara’s kitchenware-inspired dress becomes a lasting meme or just a fleeting moment in political fashion history.
