As President Donald Trump prepared to return to Washington, D.C. from New Jersey on Sunday, he lit up when asked about actress Sydney Sweeney’s political leanings and new ad campaign.
“Mr. President, actress Sydney Sweeney came out this weekend that she was a registered Republican. Any thoughts on that?” a reporter asked. “She’s a very hot actress right now.”
“She’s a registered Republican?” Trump asked, surprised. When the reporter confirmed it, Trump smiled. “Oh, now I love her ad. Is that right? Is Sydney Sweeney? Yes. You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. 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.”
BuzzFeed broke the story Saturday, setting off outrage on the Left over Sweeney’s new American Eagle jeans campaign. One ad featured the actress posing seductively and saying she had “good jeans,” a pun that critics quickly labeled as racially charged.
The ad stirred controversy due to its wordplay, as Sweeney stated, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” Critics slammed the spot as tone-deaf, pointing to Sweeney’s white skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.
But public records back it up: Sydney B. Sweeney is registered as a Republican in Florida. Her full name reportedly includes “Bernice” as her middle name, and the registration was filed in June 2024—right around the time she bought a $13.5 million home in Summerland Key.
The Daily Wire confirmed the voter registration listed Summerland Key as her residence, matching details of Sweeney’s known property purchase.
American Eagle kept its cool amid the backlash. The company issued a statement saying, “’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”