The recent revelation that actress Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican has caught the attention of former President Donald Trump, who expressed his approval upon learning of her political affiliation. The endorsement arrived amidst a heated debate over Sweeney's American Eagle jeans advertisement, which has faced a barrage of criticism from liberal commentators.
Trump was approached by reporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he did not shy away from sharing his delight. "Oh, now I love her ad," Trump remarked, expressing surprise at finding another member of the GOP within the traditionally liberal Hollywood circle. The president's sentiments underscored a rare moment of conservative celebration in the entertainment industry, which is often perceived as a bastion of liberal ideology.
The disclosure of Sweeney's Republican registration in Monroe County, Florida, was first reported by the Daily Mail, who investigated public voter records. This information emerged amid intense liberal backlash against Sweeney's ad campaign for American Eagle, which some critics have accused of subtly endorsing white supremacy and eugenics due to its play on words between "genes" and "jeans."
In the disputed ad, Sweeney discusses genetic inheritance while modeling jeans, making references to traits such as hair color, personality, and eye color. The phrase "My jeans are blue" accompanies a narrative on her genetic makeup, followed by a playful "Hey, eyes up here" as she directs the viewers' focus back to her face.
Some liberal critics interpreted the ad's emphasis on "great genes" as a coded nod to Sweeney's whiteness and conventional beauty standards, sparking a contentious debate across social media and news outlets. Salon published an analysis linking the ad's language to historical racial ideologies, arguing that such references carry troubling connotations.
On the other side of the spectrum, conservative defenders have dismissed the liberal interpretations as an overreach, suggesting that the criticism stems from either jealousy of Sweeney's beauty or a deliberate misreading of an innocuous advertising pun.
The controversy has not only stirred reactions from Trump but also from other notable conservative figures. Vice President JD Vance mocked the Democratic response during an appearance on The Ruthless Podcast, suggesting that Democrats are branding anyone who finds Sweeney attractive as a Nazi. Vance characterized the liberal reaction as indicative of a problematic mindset within the Democratic Party, opposing what he sees as traditional American values and beauty standards.
Moreover, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung have weighed in on social media and official statements, respectively. Cruz's sarcastic remark on the platform X and Cheung's criticism of "cancel culture run amok" further amplified the conservative defense of Sweeney and her ad, while casting liberal criticisms as indicative of the political reasons behind the Republican victory in 2024.
The debate over Sweeney's advertisement and her political affiliation reflects broader cultural and political tensions in the United States, where the intersection of entertainment, advertising, and politics remains a deeply divisive battleground.
