White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, a longtime advisor to President Donald Trump, sharply criticized the backlash against Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, calling it “cancel culture run amok.”
USAToday reports Cheung responded on X to an MSNBC op-ed Yuesday that deemed it “fair” to condemn the ad, stating, “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—.”
The ad, part of a broader partnership with the 27-year-old “Euphoria” actress, uses the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” playing on “genes” and “jeans.”
Critics, including some on TikTok and in outlets like MSNBC, Salon, and The Washington Post, have accused the campaign of promoting eugenics and “whiteness,” citing its focus on Sweeney’s blonde, blue-eyed appearance.
In one video, Sweeney, dressed in denim, says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” as the camera highlights her denim and blue eyes.
Despite the controversy, American Eagle’s stock reportedly rose 4% amid the campaign’s attention, and the company defended its intent to celebrate “trendsetting denim” with Sweeney’s allure.