U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced support for Sydney Sweeney’s new American Eagle ad campaign after learning she is a registered Republican in Florida.
President Trump speaks on Sydney Sweeney being a registered Republican
“Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican? Now I love her ad. If she is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic”
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) August 4, 2025
“If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic,” Trump said while speaking to reporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
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The campaign, which features the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” — a wordplay on “genes” — has stirred significant backlash online. In a promotional video, Sweeney says, “my jeans are blue,” following a stylized segment explaining inherited genetic traits. Critics argue the ad subtly reinforces outdated and exclusionary beauty standards by linking physical appearance to genetic superiority. Others have accused it of echoing racial undertones and promoting eugenic-adjacent ideals, especially within the context of Sweeney’s image as a white, blonde actress.
Public records show Sweeney registered with the Republican Party of Florida in June 2024. Her political affiliation came under scrutiny after the campaign launched, further inflaming debate. Some online commentators pointed to her conservative ties as aligning with the ad’s perceived messaging, while others accused critics of overreach.
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Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the backlash as “cancel culture run amok,” and Vice President JD Vance added, “My political advice to the Democrats is: continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive that they’re a Nazi.”
American Eagle has defended the campaign’s creative direction, insisting it was meant to be playful and empowering. Sweeney herself has not yet responded publicly to the criticism.