Rauchet's gown likened to Shein, Temu at Correspondents Dinner

Jennifer Rauchet, wife of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, attended the White House Correspondents Dinner on April 25 wearing a blush pink off-the-shoulder gown with a fitted silhouette, waist sash, and decorative embellishments, which social media users claimed closely resembled designs available on fast-fashion sites Shein and Temu for around $15 to $60. The event at the Washington Hilton, attended by President Donald Trump and members of his administration, ended abruptly after a gunman attempted to breach security.

Photographs from the red carpet showed Rauchet pairing the dress with Steve Madden metallic heels and a floral clutch available on Amazon. A post on X by user ellad3vi, who describes herself as a "socialist socialite," highlighted side-by-side comparisons with listings on Temu and Shein, garnering millions of views. The user questioned the choice given Hegseth's association with America First policies emphasizing domestic manufacturing. Similar comparisons surfaced for outfits Rauchet wore to prior events, including Hegseth's swearing-in and a state dinner.

The post ignited divided reactions online. Critics argued the apparent fast-fashion purchase...