Overview
- Sweeney, asked about accusations that the 'great jeans/genes' campaign nodded to genetic superiority, replied, 'I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.'
- Photographer Misan Harriman urged her to acknowledge harm and said racists 'loved' the ad, while actress Aimee Lou Wood signaled disapproval by posting a vomiting emoji on Instagram, according to multiple outlets.
- Conservative media and commentators lauded Sweeney’s composure in the GQ interview, casting her response as resisting a 'gotcha' or 'cancel-culture' test.
- American Eagle has defended the campaign as a straightforward play on denim, saying it was 'always about the jeans' and that the brand will continue celebrating how people wear AE jeans.
- Clips from the Nov. 4 GQ interview spread widely on Nov. 6–7, reviving attention to the July ad that drew tens of millions of views and was previously boosted by posts from President Trump.