President Donald Trump expressed newfound appreciation for actress Sydney Sweeney after discovering she is registered as a Republican. His comments came amid an ongoing controversy surrounding her recent American Eagle advertising campaign.
According to Fox News, Trump responded enthusiastically when informed about Sweeney's political affiliation during questions from reporters on Sunday. "She's a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad," Trump remarked.
The president added that many people are Republicans, suggesting it wouldn't be surprising to find celebrities among them. "If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic," Trump stated, completely changing his stance on the controversial advertisement.
The "Euphoria" star's American Eagle campaign titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" has generated significant backlash on social media platforms since its release. The advertisement features a wordplay on "genes" versus "jeans" that some critics have claimed echoes problematic historical messaging.
Public records cited by the New York Post indicate that Sweeney has been registered with the Republican Party of Florida in Monroe County since June 2024. This revelation has added another dimension to the ongoing discourse about her advertisement.
The campaign video shows the 27-year-old actress approaching an American Eagle billboard featuring herself with the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes," which she then crosses out and replaces with "Jeans" before walking away. This particular scene has become a focal point of the controversy.
Vice President JD Vance has also weighed in on the advertisement controversy, mocking those criticizing Sweeney. During an appearance on the "Ruthless" podcast Friday, Vance sarcastically advised Democrats to continue labeling Sweeney's admirers as extremists.
"My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi. That appears to be their actual strategy," Vance joked, highlighting the political divide the controversy has exposed in recent days.
Critics of the advertisement have described it as "tone-deaf" and problematic due to alleged racial undertones. Meanwhile, supporters have praised Sweeney for what they view as pushing back against politically correct advertising standards.
The advertisement has sparked intense debate across social media platforms, with users taking strong positions on either side of the controversy. Many have scrutinized the specific wording and imagery used in the campaign.
Some critics have drawn connections between the "great genes" slogan and historical eugenics movements, suggesting the advertisement contains troubling subtext. Others have dismissed these interpretations as reaching too far or being politically motivated.
American Eagle has defended their campaign against the criticism, standing by both the advertisement and Sweeney as their brand ambassador. The company has maintained that the wordplay was intended as a lighthearted marketing approach.
Trump's comments about Sweeney highlight the growing intersection between celebrity affiliations and political discourse in America. The revelation about her voter registration has become as newsworthy as the advertisement controversy itself.
Celebrity political affiliations have increasingly become subjects of public interest, with fans and critics alike examining the political implications of entertainment figures' personal beliefs. Sweeney's case demonstrates how quickly such information can alter public perception.
The incident reflects a broader trend of politicization affecting commercial advertising, with brands often finding themselves inadvertently drawn into partisan debates. What began as a simple jeans advertisement has evolved into a conversation about political identity and affiliation.
