President Donald Trump expressed enthusiastic support for actress Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle jeans advertisement after learning she is a registered Republican, transforming his position on the campaign that has sparked widespread debate across social media platforms.
Trump discovered Sweeney’s political affiliation on Sunday, August 3, when a reporter informed him while he prepared to board Air Force One in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The President immediately shifted his stance on the advertisement, stating he now found it “fantastic” after learning of her Republican registration.
Public voter records revealed that the 27-year-old “Euphoria” actress registered with the Republican Party of Florida in Monroe County in June 2024. Trump expressed surprise at the revelation, indicating he would not have known about her political leanings and expressing gratitude for being informed.
The President’s enthusiasm continued into Monday, August 4, when he posted on Truth Social describing Sweeney’s campaign as having the “HOTTEST” advertisement currently available. He praised the commercial’s apparent success, claiming the jeans were “flying off the shelves” and encouraging the actress to continue her efforts.
The American Eagle campaign, launched on July 23 with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” features the actress making a deliberate wordplay between “genes” and “jeans.” In promotional materials, Sweeney explains that genes are passed down from parents to offspring, determining traits like hair color, personality, and eye color, before declaring that her jeans are blue.
The advertisement has generated significant controversy since its release, with critics arguing that the messaging contains racial undertones and references to eugenics theory. Social media users have pointed to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress’s appearance while criticizing the campaign’s genetic references, with some comparing the advertisement to historical propaganda promoting racial superiority.
Vice President JD Vance also defended the campaign on Friday, August 1, during a podcast appearance. He criticized Democrats for their reaction to what he characterized as a normal advertisement featuring an attractive actress selling jeans to American consumers. Vance suggested that the backlash revealed more about critics than supporters of the campaign.
American Eagle responded to the mounting criticism on Friday, August 2, with an official statement clarifying the campaign’s intent. The company emphasized that the advertisement focused solely on jeans, describing it as Sweeney’s story and noting that great jeans look good on everyone.
Trump’s Truth Social post expanded beyond praising Sweeney to criticize what he termed “woke” advertising campaigns. He referenced Jaguar’s 2024 advertisement as an example of failed marketing strategy, suggesting companies should learn from previous corporate missteps. The President claimed such approaches have resulted in significant financial losses for businesses.
The President also directed criticism toward singer Taylor Swift in his Monday post, claiming responsibility for negative reactions she received at sporting events. Trump suggested that Swift’s popularity had declined following his previous statements about her, connecting her situation to broader commentary about political positioning in entertainment.
Following Trump’s initial comments on Sunday, American Eagle stock experienced significant movement, with reports indicating approximately 15 percent growth on Monday morning. The market response reflected investor reaction to the presidential endorsement and continued public attention surrounding the campaign.
Sweeney attended the premiere of her film “Americana” on Sunday evening in Los Angeles, where she encountered protesters criticizing the advertisement. Video footage showed individuals shouting accusations of racism related to the campaign, though the actress proceeded into the venue without responding to the criticism.
A YouGov poll surveying over 3,500 American adults found that 52 percent of respondents considered the advertisement’s wordplay appropriate, while 16 percent found it inappropriate. The survey revealed generational differences, with younger respondents aged 18 to 29 showing lower approval rates compared to older demographic groups.
The controversy has reignited previous discussions about Sweeney’s political affiliations, including images from a 2022 birthday party for her mother that featured guests wearing items resembling political merchandise. Sweeney previously addressed those images in a 2023 interview, explaining that the items were brought by her mother’s friends from Los Angeles as a joke.
