Sydney Sweeney’s brother has broken his silence on her controversial American Eagle jeans ad.
Newsweek reached out to Sweeney’s representative for comment on Friday via email and Trent Sweeney via Instagram outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
Sweeney—who rose to fame on Euphoria and The White Lotus—has been making headlines recently following the release of her commercial titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” she says in the ad. “My jeans are blue.”
The line sparked a heated online debate about eugenics and racism, with some critics labeling it “Nazi propaganda.” Others, however, pushed back against the uproar, arguing that the use of “jeans” and “genes” was nothing more than wordplay and creative marketing.
According to Merriam-Webster, “Eugenics” is “the practice or advocacy of controlled selective breeding of human populations (as by sterilization) to improve the populations’ genetic composition.”
Over the weekend, Newsweek and other outlets confirmed that Sweeney is registered as a Republican in Florida, prompting conservatives like President Donald Trump and Fox News host Jesse Watters to associate the actress with right-wing politics. However, she has not spoken out about her political affiliation.
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Apple TV+
What To Know
On Wednesday, Sweeney’s brother, Trent Sweeney—who serves in the U.S. Air Force—took to his Instagram Stories to celebrate his promotion to staff sergeant. Alongside a photo of his certificate, he wrote, per People: “It’s them good jeans.”
In June, the siblings attended the European premiere of the Apple TV+ film Echo Valley. While she wore a pale blue gown, he opted for an all black ensemble and sunglasses.
“Thank you for letting me join you for the #EchoValley premiere,” Trent Sweeney wrote on Instagram. “Had a lot of fun! Great movie as well if y’all wanna check it out! Also thank you @prada for setting up an amazing outfit! Definitely my favorite fit so far!”
American Eagle addressed the widespread criticism in an Instagram post on Saturday.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the clothing brand wrote. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
This isn’t the first time Sweeney’s brand partnership has gone viral. In May, the 27-year-old released a limited-edition soap with Dr. Squatch made from her own bathwater.
At the time, however, she laughed off any critics. “I think it’s more fun to see everyone else talk about it,” she told E! News. “I pitched it.”
What People Are Saying
Lizzo referred to Sweeney’s American Eagle ad in her new song “I’m Goin’ In Till October” on Instagram on Wednesday: “No kizzy, he ain’t got no business being with me. Fat a** pretty face with the t******. B****, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday: “She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad!”
Trump added to his remarks in a statement posted to Truth Social on Monday: “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! On the other side of the ledger, Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER! The CEO just resigned in disgrace, and the company is in absolute turmoil. Who wants to buy a Jaguar after looking at that disgraceful ad. Shouldn’t they have learned a lesson from Bud Lite, which went Woke and essentially destroyed, in a short campaign, the Company. The market cap destruction has been unprecedented, with BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SO FOOLISHLY LOST. Or just look at Woke singer Taylor Swift. Ever since I alerted the world as to what she was by saying on TRUTH that I can’t stand her (HATE!). She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT. The tide has seriously turned—Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Robin Landa, an advertising expert and professor at Michael Graves College at Kean University, previously told Newsweek: “The campaign’s pun isn’t just tone-deaf—it’s historically loaded.”
Political commentator Megyn Kelly, host of The Megyn Kelly Show, said on her show: “We’re sick and f****** tired of the nonsense, where you are not allowed to ever celebrate someone who is white and blonde and blue-eyed. That we have to walk into a room apologetic for those things, or have for the past five years. In a way, this ad is the final declaration that we’re done doing that s***. It doesn’t mean we’re better, but you know what? We’re no worse than any other race or any other hair color or eye color.”
What Happens Next
At the time of publication, Sweeney has not yet responded to the American Eagle backlash. Her new crime thriller Americana will be released in theaters on August 15.