It’s been a long time since a fashion advertisement video has caused a stir in the international media about the campaign message, to the point that even US President Donald Trump had to speak up.

Sydney Sweeney in a commercial for fashion brand American Eagle – Photo: American Eagle

American Eagle’s latest advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has become the center of controversy on social media in recent days, with some people accusing it of carrying a hidden message of racism.

Sydney Sweeney – the star of HBO’s hit series Euphoria and The White Lotus – is the face of the brand’s fall jeans campaign. The campaign’s slogan is: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” – a play on “great genes”.

American Eagle’s Risky Move

In a clip posted to American Eagle’s Instagram that has been viewed more than 6 million times, Sydney Sweeney stands in front of a poster that reads “Sydney Sweeney has great genes,” before the word “genes” is crossed out and replaced with “jeans.”

Another video continues this play on words, sparking further criticism on platforms like TikTok, X (Twitter), and Threads.

According to NBC News, some viewers have suggested that the campaign promotes “eugenics,” “white supremacy,” and even “neo-Nazi propaganda.”

American Eagle Jeans Ad

In the video, Sydney Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to children, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.” The camera then pans to her blue eyes. “And my jeans are blue.”

After the promotional video was released, the Sydney jeans quickly sold out. American Eagle’s stock also rose to a nearly half-year high ($13.39).

A representative for Sydney Sweeney declined to comment. American Eagle did not respond to requests for an interview.

When American Eagle tapped Sydney Sweeney for its biggest fall campaign, it said it wanted to celebrate “trend-setting denim, not following trends” – Photo: American Eagle

However, after more than a dozen Instagram posts featuring Sydney Sweeney in the past few days, the brand’s latest post unexpectedly switched to a different model wearing denim.

Many netizens quickly realized that the model this time was not white, and many commented that this was a move to appease public opinion or to handle an image crisis after the controversy related to the racist message in the campaign with Sydney Sweeney.

This sudden change has further divided public opinion: one side believes this is a wise move to ease tensions, the other side criticizes American Eagle for trying to please the “online crowd” instead of keeping a clear stance in its brand message.

American Eagle shares soar 24% after Trump praises Sydney Sweeney ad – Photo: Bloomberg

Trump is not out of the game

According to People, when he learned that Sydney Sweeney is a Republican, US President Donald Trump immediately praised the actress and the new advertising campaign for the American Eagle brand on social media, even though the video is being criticized for being overly sexy and having a controversial message.

“Sydney Sweeney, a true Republican, has the hottest ad right now. It’s for American Eagle and their jeans are ‘selling out’. Go Sydney!” – Trump wrote.

Trump slams Taylor Swift while praising Sydney Sweeney for her American Eagle jeans ad – Photo: Suggest

Then, Trump quickly turned the spotlight on Taylor Swift – who has been a thorn in his side for the past year.

“Look at WOKE Taylor Swift. Ever since I said on social media that I don’t like her, she got booed at the Super Bowl and is no longer hot.

The tide has turned – WOKE is for losers, being a Republican is what you should be aiming for. Thank you for your attention.”

People walk past an American Eagle ad featuring Sydney Sweeney in New York City – Photo: REUTERS

Mr. Trump has long disliked Taylor Swift because she voted against him and publicly supported Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. So he now takes advantage of this story to directly attack the singer.

Mr. Trump’s statement immediately created a wave of mixed reactions on social media, with many users criticizing him for constantly using female artists as tools in his political war.