Martina Navratilova draws attention to irony as White House Press Secretary dons China-made dress while defending Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs

By S Shahi

Modified Apr 15, 2025 08:18 GMT

Martina Navratilova [Image source: Getty]

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova hilariously reacted to the irony of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sporting a red Chinese-made dress while vocally supporting President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs against China. Navratilova shared her reaction as images of Leavitt in the dress made the rounds online.

The moment struck a chord amid the intensifying US–China trade war, which has escalated significantly in Trump’s second term. The situation reached new heights in 2025, starting with a 10% tariff on Chinese imports on February 1, followed by another 10% hike in March.

China quickly fired back with its own tariffs, including a 15% penalty on key US agricultural exports. Things truly boiled over in April when the US raised tariffs to a staggering 145% on all Chinese goods. China responded with its own drastic measure—imposing a 125% tariff on American products.

Amid this backdrop of economic tension, Leavitt’s choice of attire caught the attention of many online users—especially when the Chinese Embassy’s social media account highlighted that the dress she wore while pushing the administration’s hardline trade policy was seemingly manufactured in China.

Check out the post here:

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As the post got traction, Trump critic Martina Navratilova shared her hilarious reaction:

"Lol."

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When a user chimed in under her post with:

"I love this for her!"

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion doubled down, writing:

"Too funny… the irony is quite sweet."

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Martina Navratilova slammed Fox Business for coverage of market crash after Donald Trump’s tariff announcement

In Picture: Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova called out Fox Business for what she perceived as an obvious effort to divert attention away from a catastrophic economic decline. On April 2, 2025, Donald Trump called for reciprocal tariffs on nations with huge trade surpluses against the United States, such as China, India, and EU countries.

The action sparked panic on Wall Street, and the Dow lost more than 2,200 points in two days and the S&P 500 dropped more than 15% from its February peak. While markets plummeted and the Volatility Index (VIX) rose above 40, Fox Business broadcast a segment about Joe Biden's widely panned 2024 debate performance.

The image of Biden with a bewildered expression quickly made the rounds on social media. Navratilova reshared the photo on X, acerbically lambasting the network:

"Propaganda anyone???"

In other news, Martina Navratilova ridiculed Donald Trump for allegedly spending $85 million on golf-related costs.

About the author

Shashank, a tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, joined the company about a year and a half ago. Despite his background in software engineering, his passion for the sport drove him to switch gears and dive into full-time journalism before which he worked as a tech writer.

With over 1000 articles and nearly 4 million views under his belt at SK, his stories stand out thanks to his deep dives into match stats, player tactics, and historical patterns, offering readers a fresh take every time. Above all, he is meticulous, making sure to double-check information from reliable sources before sharing it.

In Shashank's view, there's no room for debate: Novak Djokovic reigns supreme as the ultimate GOAT. He draws inspiration from the Serb's resilience, hard work, and relentless attitude, channeling those qualities into his own work.

Outside of his tennis musings, he finds joy in hitting the court himself, exploring new destinations during his travels, and watching movies.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam