As Sydney Sweeney’s name continues to ricochet across the internet thanks to her latest denim campaign, it appears that even her own brother can’t resist getting in on the action with a wink, a nudge, and a knowing jab.
Trent Sweeney announced his recent U.S. Air Force promotion on his Instagram story. Accompanying a snapshot of his official certificate, he cheekily captioned it, “It’s them good jeans.” A not-so-subtle reference to his sister’s American Eagle ad, the post instantly lit up group chats and fan pages, signaling that the Sweeney family is well aware of the internet storm and they’re laughing.
The viral campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” launched July 23 and was designed to anchor American Eagle’s fall denim line. But rather than simply being a fashion-forward partnership, the ad has ignited a wildfire of debate, satire, and political commentary.
THE DENIM THAT LAUNCHED A CULTURE WAR
What began as a series of cheeky campaign videos featuring the Euphoria star working on a car, posing in denim, and speaking to camera about style quickly unraveled into something far bigger. The line “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” meant to nod to her fashion choices sparked widespread scrutiny for its double entendre.
Critics accused the brand of playing on the homonym “jeans” vs. “genes” in a way that hints at eugenics, the now-discredited pseudo-scientific movement that advocates selective breeding to “improve” humanity.
One particular video, which has since been removed from several American Eagle platforms but remains on Facebook, drew the most ire. In it, Sweeney lies down to zip up a pair of jeans as she narrates:
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
Some saw this as an innocuous play on words. Others, however, labeled it as “dangerous,” “tone-deaf,” and “borderline fascist.” Comparisons were drawn to Brooke Shields’ infamous Calvin Klein campaign from 1980, which featured the then-15-year-old provocatively cooing, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”
AMERICAN EAGLE RESPONDS: “IT’S JUST JEANS”
Facing mounting backlash, American Eagle attempted to douse the flames on August 1 with a public statement posted to their Instagram.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the brand stated. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Yet for many, the damage was already done. The online debate had spiraled far beyond denim and advertising. The campaign was now entangled with deeper social and political fault lines, particularly once it became known that Sydney Sweeney has been a registered Republican.
TRUMP ENTERS THE CHAT
On August 3, former President Donald Trump offered his opinion during a press appearance in Pennsylvania. After being informed of Sweeney’s political affiliation by a reporter citing a BuzzFeed News article confirming her Republican registration in Florida, Trump’s response was instantaneous.
“She’s a registered Republican?” he asked. “Oh, now I love her ad.”
The 79-year-old went on:
“You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans. That’s one I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that.”
His endorsement only added fuel to the fire, turning what started as a denim promo into a full-blown political Rorschach test. Suddenly, “great jeans” weren’t just about fit or fashion. They were now loaded with implications about ideology, legacy, and social commentary.
