Overview

• American Eagle issued an Instagram statement on August 1 defending the tagline as a denim-focused pun and rejecting claims of racial or eugenic subtext.
• President Trump endorsed the campaign on August 4, praising the jeans and noting Sweeney’s Republican registration.
• On August 6, Trent Sweeney jested about the controversy in an Instagram Story celebrating his Air Force promotion with the caption “It’s them good jeans.”
• A Proud Boys-themed banner appeared on a Los Angeles billboard on August 8, replacing “jeans” with “genes” to express far-right support.
• Sydney Sweeney has remained publicly silent about the backlash since the campaign’s launch.