American Eagle is standing firm in the face of a bizarre social media firestorm over its latest ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, which some online critics have accused of promoting “white supremacy” and “Nazi imagery.”
The brand released a succinct statement Friday, shutting down claims that the commercial — which features Sweeney, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress, celebrating her blue jeans — had sinister undertones.
“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” American Eagle stated.
“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
From Wordplay to Outrage
The controversy erupted over the ad’s play on words — “jeans” vs. “genes” — with critics on TikTok and other platforms interpreting the ad’s focus on Sweeney’s appearance as a nod to eugenics or fascism.
One viral TikTok comment called it “Nazi propaganda weird,” accusing the company of glorifying Aryan features.
“Should we be surprised that a company named American Eagle is making fascist propaganda like this?” one user said.
“A blonde-haired, blue-eyed white woman is talking about her good genes… that is Nazi propaganda!”
Right Pushes Back, Praises Brand
Conservatives and free speech advocates have mocked the online hysteria, calling the backlash part of the woke mob’s endless overreach.
“Good for them for not backing down to the woke mob!!!” Donald Trump Jr. posted in support of American Eagle.
Blaze News and other outlets have documented how the controversy quickly turned into a cultural flashpoint, with most Americans on the right seeing it as yet another example of woke absurdity.
Manufactured Outrage?
In a twist, some left-leaning users have now accused anti-woke media of “manufacturing” the controversy to fuel the culture war — despite the original backlash stemming from progressive creators on TikTok themselves.
Regardless of how it started, American Eagle’s decision to stand by the campaign marks a rare example of a major brand refusing to cave to outrage culture.
