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| Why is Donald Trump discussing Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle | Why is Donald Trump discussing Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch: Trump on Sydney Sweeney commercial and political affiliation | Watch: Trump on Sydney Sweeney commercial and political affiliation |
| President Donald Trump has praised actress Sydney Sweeney in the wake of a social media backlash against an advertisement she features in. | President Donald Trump has praised actress Sydney Sweeney in the wake of a social media backlash against an advertisement she features in. |
| "Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there," he wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday. "Go get 'em Sydney!" | "Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there," he wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday. "Go get 'em Sydney!" |
| The Emmy-nominated actress, who starred in Euphoria and The White Lotus, appears in a jeans advertisement for American Eagle where she says: "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue." | The Emmy-nominated actress, who starred in Euphoria and The White Lotus, appears in a jeans advertisement for American Eagle where she says: "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue." |
| Some criticised the 27-year-old blue-eyed star's wordplay in the commercial, which sparked a debate over race and beauty standards. | |
| American Eagle has defended the advert, saying it is purely referring to the company's denim jeans. | American Eagle has defended the advert, saying it is purely referring to the company's denim jeans. |
| What is the controversy? | What is the controversy? |
| American Eagle released the advertising campaign with Sweeney on 23 July. | American Eagle released the advertising campaign with Sweeney on 23 July. |
| The slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" appeared on television, social media and on the outside of storefronts. | The slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" appeared on television, social media and on the outside of storefronts. |
| Almost instantly, it received pushback from some on social media. | Almost instantly, it received pushback from some on social media. |
| They criticised the advert's genes pun - including one line which said the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress "has great jeans" - as echoing rhetoric associated with eugenics, the discredited belief that humanity could be improved through selective breeding. | They criticised the advert's genes pun - including one line which said the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress "has great jeans" - as echoing rhetoric associated with eugenics, the discredited belief that humanity could be improved through selective breeding. |
| Others, however, backed Sweeney and described the outrage as overblown. | Others, however, backed Sweeney and described the outrage as overblown. |
| Reports later surfaced that Sweeney is a registered Republican in Florida. Shortly after, Trump made comments about the row and expressed his support for the actress, whom he described as a "registered Republican". | |
| Sweeney, meanwhile, has not commented on the backlash or confirmed her political affiliation. | Sweeney, meanwhile, has not commented on the backlash or confirmed her political affiliation. |
| What has American Eagle said? | What has American Eagle said? |
| The company said the campaign "is and always was about the jeans". | The company said the campaign "is and always was about the jeans". |
| "Her jeans. Her story," American Eagle said. "We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way." | "Her jeans. Her story," American Eagle said. "We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way." |
| Since Trump began speaking about the advertisement on Monday, the company's stock has skyrocketed and was up by as much as 20%. | Since Trump began speaking about the advertisement on Monday, the company's stock has skyrocketed and was up by as much as 20%. |
| Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce, said American Eagle "nailed" the ad. | Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce, said American Eagle "nailed" the ad. |
| "It is exponentially harder than it was years ago," he told the BBC. "Success in marketing today is to get consumers sharing [advertisements] on social." | "It is exponentially harder than it was years ago," he told the BBC. "Success in marketing today is to get consumers sharing [advertisements] on social." |
| But they have to be "extraordinary" for people to share them, "whether that's extraordinarily good or extraordinarily bad," he said. | But they have to be "extraordinary" for people to share them, "whether that's extraordinarily good or extraordinarily bad," he said. |
| He added that the social media buzz American Eagle is getting from the advertisement is worth 10 or 20 times what the company spent on making it. | He added that the social media buzz American Eagle is getting from the advertisement is worth 10 or 20 times what the company spent on making it. |
| Is Sweeney a registered Republican? | Is Sweeney a registered Republican? |
| Sweeney has been registered as a Republican in the state of Florida since 2024, records show. | Sweeney has been registered as a Republican in the state of Florida since 2024, records show. |
| But she has not spoken out about politics. | But she has not spoken out about politics. |
| She made headlines in 2023 when videos and images from her mother's birthday party were shared online and showed some attendees in Make America Great Again hats. | She made headlines in 2023 when videos and images from her mother's birthday party were shared online and showed some attendees in Make America Great Again hats. |
| Sweeney responded and said people should "stop making assumptions" and turning the "innocent celebration" into an "absurd political statement." | Sweeney responded and said people should "stop making assumptions" and turning the "innocent celebration" into an "absurd political statement." |
| Months later, she was asked about it in an interview: "Honestly, I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation," she told GQ. | Months later, she was asked about it in an interview: "Honestly, I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation," she told GQ. |
| "It's been turning into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track," she added. | "It's been turning into a wildfire, and nothing I can say will take it back to the correct track," she added. |
| What has Trump said about it? | What has Trump said about it? |
| On Sunday, reporters travelling with the US president asked him about Sweeney. | On Sunday, reporters travelling with the US president asked him about Sweeney. |
| "You'd be surprised at how many people are Republicans," Trump said after a reporter stated that the White Lotus star is a registered Republican. | "You'd be surprised at how many people are Republicans," Trump said after a reporter stated that the White Lotus star is a registered Republican. |
| "That's what I wouldn't have known, but I'm glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic," Trump said on Sunday. | "That's what I wouldn't have known, but I'm glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic," Trump said on Sunday. |
| Even before Trump weighed in, the saga had been the focus of conservative media with some suggesting the advert had been not only a great promotion for American Eagle - but also for the political party. | Even before Trump weighed in, the saga had been the focus of conservative media with some suggesting the advert had been not only a great promotion for American Eagle - but also for the political party. |