U.S. President Donald Trump says he “loves” actress Sydney Sweeney’s controversial jeans advertisement — because she is a registered Republican.
Trump commented Sunday while speaking to reporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania. A reporter told him that Sweeney has been registered with the Republican Party in Florida since June 2024.
“She’s a registered Republican? Now I love her ad. You'd be surprised at how many people are Republican. That's one I wouldn't have known, but I'm glad you told me that.”
Highlights
- Trump praised Sydney Sweeney's controversial jeans ad after learning she has been a registered Republican since June 2024 in Florida.
- Critics claimed the ad’s wordplay on 'genes' and 'jeans' pushed racist ideas, while others defended it as a simple pun about denim.
- Republicans, including VP JD Vance, Senator Ted Cruz, and Fox News hosts, defended Sweeney amid backlash, framing criticism as cancel culture.
- American Eagle stated the ad focuses solely on jeans, rejecting any hidden meanings behind the wordplay.
Donald Trump said he "loves" Sydney Sweeney's controversial jeans ad because she is a registered Republican
Image credits: The White House/Flickr
“If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic,” he added.
Public records show Sweeney registered with the Republican Party of Florida in Monroe County last year.
She has not publicly endorsed Trump or commented on her voter registration.
Sweeney recently starred in an ad campaign for American Eagle called “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
In the ad, she says genes are passed from parents to children, affecting “traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.” The camera pans up her body, and she adds: “My jeans are blue.” The narrator then declares, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
Some critics accused the ad of pushing racist ideas by using wordplay between “genes” and “jeans.”
Image credits: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
A report in Salon claimed the ad played into old ideas about beauty and thinness.
Others defended the ad, saying it was just a pun about her looks and the denim line. American Eagle also denied any hidden meaning.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” the company said in a statement. “Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” the statement continued.
“Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The ad received backlash, given its wordplay on "jeans" and "genes"
Image credits: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
Trump is not the only Republican defending Sweeney. Vice President JD Vance joked about the backlash on The Ruthless Podcast.
“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,” he said.
“And the lesson they have apparently taken is, ‘We’re going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sydney Sweeney is beautiful.’ Great strategy, guys! That’s how you’re going to win the midterm.”
He continued, calling Sweeney an “all-American beautiful woman.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz weighed in on the debate, writing on X: “Wow. Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women. I’m sure that will poll well.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung called the backlash “cancel culture run amok.”
Fox News hosts also defended Sweeney, saying the ad was about marketing. Anchor Lawrence Jones said on Fox & Friends that good-looking people help sell products. “You gotta know who you are marketing to,” Jones said.
“It's no offense to stocky people, I love thick women, too, but sometimes they don't sell the product. And it's all about who sells the product and who men envision and who women envision themselves to be,” Jones added.
A study by Media Matters found Fox News spent more than 85 minutes talking about the commercial across at least 20 segments last week.
Sweeney is far from the only celebrity known to be a registered Republican or supporter of the party.
Actor and wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was previously registered as a Republican, though he later became an independent.
Actress Patricia Heaton, best known for Everybody Loves Raymond, is also a registered Republican.
Image credits: Ron Sachs/Getty Images
Candace Cameron Bure, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Melissa Joan Hart are among those outspoken about their GOP roots.
Other prominent stars with Republican ties include Clint Eastwood, a lifelong Republican-leaning libertarian, Kelsey Grammer, who has been openly critical of Hollywood’s liberal culture, and Kanye West, who has publicly supported Republican candidates despite identifying as independent.
Trump has often praised celebrities who lean right. He has previously made headlines for commending celebrities who revealed Republican leanings, including Kanye West, whom he called “a really nice guy” with a “good heart.”