By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 12:35 PM EST
Sydney Sweeney has addressed the uproar surrounding her American Eagle ad campaign, calling it “surreal” to see President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance weigh in on the controversial spot that sparked widespread debate. The “Euphoria” and “Anyone But You” star broke her silence in GQ’s Men of the Year issue, reflecting on the fallout from the July campaign titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
The ad played on the word “jeans” with a pun involving “genes,” featuring Sweeney narrating, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring … My jeans are blue.” While intended as a lighthearted nod to her connection with the brand, critics labeled it tone-deaf and objectifying, drawing comparisons to Brooke Shields’ 1980 Calvin Klein ad. American Eagle defended the campaign, stating it focused on “her jeans” and “her story,” emphasizing confidence in how customers wear their AE jeans.
The controversy intensified when Trump praised the ad in August after learning Sweeney is a registered Republican in Florida, declaring, “She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad.” Vance also joined the discourse, mocking Democrats for their criticism of the campaign during a podcast interview. “My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi,” he said, framing the backlash as an absurd distraction from real issues.
Sweeney denied endorsing any political candidates or expressing public views despite her registration, noting she was aware of stock market fluctuations tied to the media storm but dismissed claims of declining in-store visits as false. “At the end of the day, I knew what that ad was for — and it was great jeans,” she said.
