Sydney Sweeney fires back as she breaks silence on 'offensive' American Eagle jeans ad backlash

In one clip, the Euphoria star said: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour... my eyes are blue.”

In another, Ms Sweeney told viewers: “My body’s composition is determined by my genes.”

The ad sparked immediate backlash online, with some social media users suggesting it had white supremacist undertones and others even compared the ad to Nazi propaganda.

Others believed the clips suggested that Ms Sweeney's "genes" were superior, which led to calls of a boycott of the brand. However, several supporters labelled the outrage "woke nonsense".

Among them was US TV doctor, Dr Phil, who said the outrage was "ridiculous" and stated that for people to "go crazy" over the ad and equate its wordplay to the Holocaust was an "absolute insult".

Reports later suggested that in the months following the controversy, American Eagle’s stock price rose by 38 per cent, with its supporters hitting back at the complaints by throwing financial support behind the brand.

American Eagle responded to the backlash in a statement on August 1, 2025, saying: "'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans ' is and always was about the jeans.

"Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

In a new interview with GQ, Ms Sweeney has finally addressed the controversy, admitting she was taken aback by the outrage.

“I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise. But I love jeans, all I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life,” she explained.

The backlash was so severe that former US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the controversy at the time.

After learning Ms Sweeney was a registered Republican, President Trump labelled the jeans “fantastic” and “the hottest ever” before praising her over “woke stars”, saying: “Go get ’em, Sydney.” (sic)

Ms Sweeney said endorsement from the President was “surreal”. When asked whether she felt grateful to have such high-level support, she said she didn’t dwell on the reaction.

“I kind of just put my phone away. I was filming every day. I’m filming Euphoria, so I’m working 16-hour days, and I don’t really bring my phone on set.

"I work and then I go home and I sleep. So I didn’t really see a lot of it.”

Referencing the rise in revenue for American Eagle, the TV star said: “I was aware of the numbers as it was going. So when I saw all the headlines of in-store visits being down a certain percentage, none of it was true.

"It was all made up, but nobody could say anything because [American Eagle was] in their quiet period...So it was all just a lot of talk.

"And because I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans it didn’t affect me one way or the other.”

The actress added that her close support circle keeps her grounded: “They take me out of Hollywood, take me out of this bubble and remind me what the real world is. I’m just Syd, and I don’t run in that world.”

Despite Ms Sweeney's American Eagle response hitting headlines across the globe, the GQ interview itself caused fresh backlash.

Some critics have accused the magazine of “not asking the right questions” and failing to properly address accusations of white nationalism linked to the advert.

One user posted on X: “I’m not even trying to be rude, but is this even an interview? These are the softest, most leading Qs and the ACTUAL controversy wasn’t addressed!”

Another chimed in: “Everything is just so surreal... okay sure but did she hear and see what people were expressing at all? Or nah?”

Others defended Ms Sweeney, with one fan urging her protection "at all costs,” while another added: “I love her so much.” (sic)