Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
  • 2 days ago
Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad remains controversial — and now, high-profile conservatives are weighing in, not to condemn the ad, but to push back against the backlash. Steven Cheung, former communications director for President Trump, who previously slammed critics as “snowflakes” suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” took to X to accuse cancel culture of fueling outrage from the Left.

While Senator Ted Cruz defended Sweeney, mocking the “crazy Left” for attacking her, jothers public figures like Gabby Windey and Doja Cat have also chimed in. The ad’s wordplay linking “genes” to “jeans” sparked accusations of racism and ties to eugenics, a widely discredited theory about genetic superiority. Still, despite the controversy, American Eagle’s stock reportedly rose — suggesting the campaign generated not just backlash, but major attention — with the conversation continuing all the way to the White House.

Category

😹
Fun
Transcript
00:00Sidney Sweeney's American Eagle Fall campaign is still under fire, and now the backlash has
00:05reached the White House, with high-profile conservatives stepping into the controversy.
00:09Fox News reports that Stephen Chung, President Donald Trump's communications director,
00:14who reportedly called critics snowflakes suffering from Trump Arrangement Syndrome,
00:19weighed in on the controversy. In a post on X, the director wrote,
00:23Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic, and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why
00:28Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They're tired of this. The post included a
00:33screenshot of MSNBC's headline that claimed Sweeney's ad promoted racial superiority through
00:38genetic whiteness. Senator Ted Cruz came to Sweeney's defense on X, blasting what he called
00:44the quote, crazy left, for turning on the actress. Responding to a New York Post article,
00:49the Republican senator wrote, Wow, now the crazy left has come out against beautiful women.
00:54I'm sure that will pull well. Cruz joins a growing list of public figures chiming in.
00:58Including Bachelor star Gabby Wendy, and even Doja Cat, who mocked the ad in a TikTok video.
01:04The ad at the center of the backlash reportedly shows Sweeney and American Eagle denim head to
01:08toe. In the ad, the 27-year-old actress talks about inheriting traits like blue eyes,
01:13turning to the camera, then stating, quote, My jeans are blue. Followed by captions in a narrator
01:18stating, Sidney Sweeney has great jeans. It's a play on words connecting jeans to genetics.
01:23But many didn't find the ad clever. Instead, TikTok is full of comments calling the ad racist,
01:29while others push back asking how. Still, the backlash continues with many pointing to the
01:33ad's connection to eugenics. According to Britannica, eugenics is the idea that certain
01:38genetic traits are superior and that reproduction should be controlled to promote so-called
01:42desirable traits. The concept was developed in the 19th century by Sir Francis Galton,
01:47and later used by the Nazis to justify horrific treatment of Jews, disabled people, and other
01:53minority groups. Today, research states the theory is widely discredited by scientists and historians
01:58as unscientific, racist, and morally wrong. Still, despite the ongoing backlash, reports
02:04State American Eagle's stock rose, as short selling jumped 6% during trading and another 22%
02:10after hours, likely from traders betting the controversy would hurt the brand. Instead,
02:15despite quickly erased the company's year-to-date losses. So while the outrage may have alienated
02:19some, it clearly energized others. Whether out of support, backlash, or sheer visibility,
02:25the ad did its job. And while the White House echoes concerns about messaging a representation,
02:29American Eagle has remained profitable. Share your thoughts below and follow us everywhere
02:33at What's Trending.

Recommended

1:31:18