Introduction to the Controversy
President Donald Trump recently praised actress Sydney Sweeney after she faced backlash for her role in an American Eagle commercial. The commercial, which showcased Sweeney talking about her jeans, sparked a debate about genetics and Western beauty standards. Trump expressed his support for Sweeney, stating that she has the "hottest advertisement out there" and encouraged her to "get ’em."
The Commercial and the Backlash
The American Eagle commercial featured Sweeney saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to their kids and often determine characteristics like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue." Critics argued that the wordplay on "genes" and "jeans" was insensitive and triggered a discussion about breed and Western beauty standards. Despite the backlash, American Eagle defended the commercial, stating that it was simply about their jeans.
What is the Controversy?
The controversy surrounding the commercial began when it was published on July 23. The slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" appeared on television, social media, and outside shop fronts. Almost instantly, people on social media pushed back against the commercial. Some criticized the wordplay, which they associated with eugenics, a discredited belief that humanity can be improved through selective breeding. Conservatives, on the other hand, supported Sweeney and described the outrage as exaggerated and "woke."
American Eagle’s Response
American Eagle reacted to the controversy by stating that the advertising campaign "is about the jeans." The company said, "Your jeans. Your story. We continue to celebrate all of his AE Jeans with confidence. Great jeans look good on everyone." Since Trump commented on the commercial, the company’s stock has increased by up to 20%. According to Adamson, co-founder of Marketing Consultancy MetaForce, American Eagle "nailed" the advertising campaign. He stated that success in today’s marketing is about sharing advertisements on social media, and that the company’s buzz is worth ten or 20 times what they spent on creating the commercial.
Is Sydney Sweeney a Republican?
Sweeney has been registered as a Republican in the state of Florida since 2024. However, she has not publicly discussed her politics. In 2023, she made headlines when videos and pictures from her mother’s birthday party were shared online, showing some participants wearing "Make America Great Again" hats. Sweeney responded by saying that people should "stop making assumptions" and not turn the "innocent celebration" into an "absurd political statement." When asked about the incident in an interview, she stated that she felt that nothing she could say would help the conversation and that it had become a "forest fire" that she couldn’t put out.
Trump’s Comments
When asked about Sweeney, Trump stated that he was glad to hear that she is a registered Republican. He said, "If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her advertisement is fantastic." Trump’s comments came after the saga had been discussed in conservative media, with some suggesting that the backlash was not only a great promotion for American Eagle but also for the Republican Party.
