President Trump has commented on Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad controversy.
The uproar surrounding the brand's campaign began with a now-deleted video released on July 23, in which the Euphoria star models denim and narrates: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
The ad ends with the line: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
The wordplay between “genes” and “jeans” quickly triggered online backlash, with critics accusing the campaign of promoting eugenics-coded messaging.
Many pointed to the 27-year-old's white skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes as a troubling visual match for the slogan.
“When those traits are consistently uplifted as genetic excellence, we know where this leads," one TikTok user said. Others went further, branding the ad “Nazi propaganda.”
Still, the campaign has delivered financially, as after its release, American Eagle’s stock jumped 10%, adding over $200 million in market value, per Vanity Fair.
On August 1, the brand stood firm, posting on Instagram: “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
President Donald Trump addressed the controversy after learning of the White Lotus actress's political affiliation.
“She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad!” he said, per News.com.au. “Is that right? Is Sydney Sweeney? You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
Several celebrities and political figures have also weighed in. On Thursday (July 31), Lizzo posted a mock version of the ad on Instagram, in which she can be seen sporting a similar denim outfit to Sweeney’s and captioning it with the line: “If the Democrats won the election.”
In a nod to the actress's controversial pun in the original ad, Lizzo wrote in the caption: “My jeans are black…” - a tongue-in-cheek twist that reframed the conversation around race and representation.
Doja Cat also joined in, uploading a TikTok where she mimicked Sweeney's narration using an exaggerated Southern accent.
Vice President JD Vance mocked Democratic outrage on the Ruthless podcast, saying: “You have, like, a normal all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad… and they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing."
"My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi," he added.
White House communications director Steven Cheung called the outrage “warped, moronic, and dense liberal thinking,” adding, “This is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bulls***.”
As of now, Sweeney has remained silent on the controversy. According to CNN producer Alejandra Jaramillo, no Democratic Party leaders have formally responded either.