Sydney Sweeney has shared her reaction to President Donald Trump’s response to her controversial “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” advertisement for American Eagle.
The 28-year-old Christy actress told GQ in an interview for their “Man of the Year” cover story that Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s response to the July advertisement was “surreal.”
“I did a jean ad,” Sweeney told GQ when asked about the general reaction to the advertisement. “I mean, the reaction was definitely a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.”
Trump shared his support of the ad campaign while speaking with reporters in Pennsylvania in August, saying, “She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad.”
“You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans,” Trump continued. “That’s one I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that.”
Trump also posted about the actress on Truth Social the following day, saying: “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ‘em Sydney!”
Vance offered his thoughts on the ad campaign during an August episode of the conservative Ruthless podcast, where he said Democrats were melting down over the ad, despite none of the party leaders commenting on it.
“My political advice to the Democrats is to continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi,” Vance said. “I mean, it actually reveals something pretty interesting about the Dems though, which is that you have a normal all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad.”
“I actually thought that one of the lessons they might take is ‘we’re going to be less crazy,’” he continued. “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!”
The ad sparked debate over its play on “jeans” and “genes,” with critics claiming it was racially charged and promoted eugenics. The clothing brand defended its campaign on social media, saying that “Great jeans look great on everyone.”
Sweeney said she didn’t see much of the backlash over the ad due to her busy schedule filming the upcoming season of Euphoria.
“I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was for great jeans, it didn’t affect me one way or the other,” she told GQ.
Regarding her thoughts on the content of the ad itself, Sweeney said, “I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”
