Sydney Sweeney’s genetics-themed jeans campaign for American Eagle has been the center of pop culture discourse for the past two weeks, with everyone from fashion insiders to college professors taking stances on it. And by everyone, I mean everyone — including the president of the United States.
Trump was first brought into the conversation on Aug. 3. While he was taking questions before boarding Air Force One, a reporter asked if he had any thoughts on reports that Sweeney is a registered Republican (which the actress has yet to publicly comment on). After initially appearing unsure, Trump quickly shifted his tone to commend the Anyone But You and Euphoria star, quickly bringing up her viral ad, which some believe promotes eugenics and has a racist undertone. (On Aug. 1, American Eagle posted a statement to its Instagram in response to the controversy, reading, “‘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.”)
“She’s a registered Republican?” Trump said. “Oh, now I love her ad.” He went on to add, “You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That’s one I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that.” He capped his answer off with a definitive statement: “If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
The morning of Aug. 4, Trump continued to express his support for Sweeney. He took to his own social media platform, Truth Social, to praise her, writing, “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ‘em Sydney!” He went on to criticize other brands and celebrities he claims to be “woke,” including Jaguar, Bud Light, and Taylor Swift. He ended the post with, “The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
However, many responses to Trump’s endorsement of Sweeney tell a different story. “This is possibly the worst that could’ve happened for her PR-wise,” one commenter wrote on NBC News’s TikTok of Trump talking about her. “A moment of silence for Sydney Sweeney’s career,” another wrote. Another said, “Now her image is cooked. This will stain her name forever. A co-sign/praise from Trump isn’t socially a good thing for her or anyone.”
Meanwhile, others are simply confused why the president of the United States is weighing in on the matter. As one commenter put it: “Why is the president discussing some ad, what’s the level of seriousness in USA?” TBH, it’s a great question.