Internet Erupts With Praise, Criticism, and Memes

Within minutes of being posted, the image began circulating across Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and TikTok. Onlookers couldn’t look away.While many praised Crockett for embracing her body and expressing herself beyond the halls of Congress, others questioned the appropriateness of the image for a public official. “She’s breaking the internet and breaking the mold,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter). “This is what unapologetic confidence looks like.”Another tweet, which gained over 50,000 likes, read: “Who knew politics could look like this?! Jasmine Crockett just redefined the term power pose.”Of course, not all reactions were glowing. Critics from more conservative circles expressed dismay, calling the image “unbecoming” and “a distraction from her duties.” Some even went as far as to question whether it was Photoshopped—only for Crockett herself to confirm in a follow-up story that the image was “100% real, unfiltered, and unashamed.”

Crockett Claps Back With Class

As the media frenzy grew, Crockett took to Instagram Stories to address the buzz. “To the haters: if you think a bikini erases my brain, my values, or my work, that says more about you than it does about me,” she wrote. “Women can be more than one thing. Get used to it.” She then added a cheeky post: “Also… sunscreen > shade.”The moment also prompted other high-profile women in politics and media to weigh in. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reposted the image with a heart emoji, while actress Gabrielle Union commented: “Serve. All of it.”

A Broader Conversation on Image, Power, and Femininity

More Than Just a Moment