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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
James Liddell

Trump pits ‘HOTTEST’ Sydney Sweeney against ‘No longer hot’ Taylor Swift in anti-woke American Eagle rant

Donald Trump has heaped praise on Sydney Sweeney’s provocative new jeans advert after being told the actress was a registered Republican.

Just hours after learning about the Euphoria actress’s reported political leanings, the president took to Truth Social on Monday morning, calling her recent American Eagle commercial the “‘HOTTEST’ ad out there.”

“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there,” he wrote. “It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’”

The president took a jab at what he called “WOKE” advertising, before making a segue to reignite his feud with pop star Taylor Swift.

“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!),” Trump continued. “She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT.”

Trump concluded his rant that “WOKE is for losers” and that the “Republican Party is what you want to be.”

The president first learned of Sweeney’s party registration on Sunday evening while speaking to reporters on the runway in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

“She’s a registered Republican?” the president asked. “Now I love her ad.”

Earlier Sunday, public voting records revealed that Sweeney, 27, has been registered with the Republican Party in Florida since June 2024. She has neither endorsed nor supported Trump publicly.

“Is that right? Is Sydney Sweeney...,” Trump continued with a smirk. “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.”

“If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic,” the president concluded.

Donald Trump spoke out in support of Sydney Sweeney's recent American Eagle jeans promotion (CNN/X)

Trump joined a chorus of MAGA voices praising the actress’s participation in American Eagle’s recent advert, Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.

The commercial has sparked widespread backlash with some critics claiming it peddles eugenic ideals through its wordplay on “jeans” and “genes.”

Critics say the two phrases echo the sentiments of the discredited racist belief once popularized by the Nazis that the human race can be improved genetically by selective breeding.

“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” Sweeney said in one spot.

“My jeans are blue,” she added, punctuated by the narrator declaring: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

Another clip showed the blue-eyed, blond-haired movie star suggestively staring at the camera as she explains that her body’s composition “is determined by... genes”.

Sweeney voted for the Republican Party in June last year, voter records show (Reuters)

“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” the company said in a statement responding to the backlash. “Her jeans. Her story.

“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” the statement continued. “Great jeans look good on everyone.”

The White House and several conservative firebrands also came to Sweeney’s defense, with Trump’s Communications Director Steven Cheung calling the negative reaction to the advert “cancel culture run amok.”

“This warped, moronic and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bulls***,” he added.

Vice President JD Vance chimed in on the debate, hailing Sweeney as an “all-American beautiful woman.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz condemned the “crazy Left” for attacking a “beautiful woman.” Congressman Eric Swalwell was among Democrats and X users taunting Cruz, calling him “Thirsty Ted.”

Fox News spent over 85 minutes across at least 20 segments through Thursday afternoon discussing the commercial and the discourse surrounding it, according to a study by liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America.

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