Trump hails Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad amid reports of her GOP registration
Donald Trump has entered the spotlight of a viral fashion controversy, this time praising actress Sydney Sweeney over her latest ad campaign with American Eagle. The remarks follow reports indicating that the Euphoria star quietly registered as a Republican in Florida last year, igniting political speculation around a commercial that had already triggered cultural debate.
Trump calls Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad the “HOTTEST” and praises her reported Republican registration. Politics meets pop culture again.
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During a press event in Pennsylvania on Sunday, Trump reacted to a reporter’s question about Sweeney’s reported GOP affiliation. “She’s a registered Republican?!” Trump exclaimed, momentarily stunned. “Oh. Now I love her ad!” He went on to add, “You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
On Monday, the president followed up on Truth Social with a post that leaned further into the narrative. “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!” Trump’s post then pivoted to a critique of Jaguar’s latest campaign and a swipe at pop superstar Taylor Swift, stating, “The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.”
The president’s endorsement arrives just as the backlash against the jeans campaign had begun to quiet down. His comments give new fuel to the political dimension of the ad, which has already sparked debate over its casting and messaging. Some critics allege that the “Great Jeans” tagline — a pun on genetics and denim — leans into outdated tropes, especially by highlighting Sweeney’s blonde hair and blue eyes.
American Eagle recently addressed the controversy in a statement that reaffirmed its intent. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans,” the company wrote on Instagram. “Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.”
Sales figures for the campaign have yet to be publicly disclosed, but American Eagle’s stock has seen a modest rise since the ad launched. Sweeney’s involvement with the brand marks the latest in a string of high-profile endorsements, joining campaigns with Miu Miu, Armani Beauty, Ford, and others.
Meanwhile, Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, has also weighed in, criticizing what he describes as liberal overreaction. Speaking on the Ruthless podcast, Vance said, “My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi… They’re trying to sell jeans to kids in America, and [Democrats] have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing.”
Sweeney has remained silent throughout the controversy, neither confirming her political affiliation nor responding to the reactions from either side of the aisle. She is next set to appear in the gritty thriller Americana, premiering later this month, followed by the adaptation of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, slated for release in December.
