Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney, labelling her American Eagle jeans campaign “fantastic” after reports surfaced claiming the star had quietly registered as a Republican. Speaking to reporters in Pennsylvania on Sunday, the president was asked about a Guardian report alleging that Sweeney registered with the GOP in Florida last June. While the actress hasn’t confirmed the story publicly, Trump reacted with enthusiasm.

“She’s a registered Republican?!” he responded, visibly surprised. “Oh. Now I love her ad! Is that right? Sydney Sweeney… You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.” His comments come as clothing brand American Eagle broke its silence on the backlash over such ads with a statement that both stood by its campaign while also pushing back on backlash that their campaign is racist for starring the blonde haired, blue-eyed Sweeney while making a pun about having good genes/jeans.

The viral campaign, which features Sweeney in low-rise jeans and a white crop top, has sparked significant debate backlash, with fans divided over its message as some claimed it contained “Nazi referencing”.

Trump’s public endorsement has added a new political dimension to the controversy, aligning the actress’s image with conservative values amidst the 2024 campaign.

On Monday, Trump took to Truth Social to reinforce his stance: “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ‘em Sydney!”

He then shifted focus to criticise other pop culture figures, condemning Jaguar for a “stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement” and taking a swipe at Taylor Swift, claiming: “She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT.”

AE’s stock price has risen since the announcement of the partnership with Sweeney, with her other recent brand deals including Armani Beauty, Miu Miu, Laneige, HeyDude, Bai, Baskin-Robbins, and Ford. JD Vance also addressed the swirling controversy around the advert and tried to link the backlash to Democrat leaders.

He said on the Ruthless podcast: “My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi.

“That appears to be their actual strategy. I mean, it actually reveals something pretty interesting about the Dems, though, which is that you have a normal all-American beautiful girl doing, like, a normal jeans ad.

“They’re trying to sell jeans to kids in America, and they have managed to unhinge themselves over this thing so. And it’s like, you guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election?”