Overview

• Sydney Sweeney’s pun-driven denim campaign launched in late July and continues to drive strong sales for American Eagle’s fall collection.
• Critics accused the “great genes/jeans” slogan of invoking eugenic and white supremacist themes, a charge the brand has firmly denied.
• Public records revealed Sweeney has been a registered Republican in Monroe County, Florida, since June 2024, a fact disclosed this weekend.
• President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Communications Director Steven Cheung praised the ad upon learning of her GOP registration, framing liberal objections as “cancel culture.”
• American Eagle has defended the campaign as a product-focused promotion, bolstering it with limited-edition jean drops that support Crisis Text Line.