American Eagle stock soars 23% after Trump praises Sydney Sweeney ad – Washington Examiner
American Eagle Outfitters’ stock surged over 23% following former President Donald Trump’s public praise of the company’s advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. trump called the ad “the hottest ad out ther,” which boosted investor interest and consumer attention.The campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” uses a play on words between “genes” and “jeans,” with Sweeney delivering a playful voiceover emphasizing her jeans.While the ad received both praise for its humor and criticism for alleged insensitive racial connotations, American Eagle maintained that the advertisement is solely about the jeans.
Trump’s endorsement amplified the campaign’s visibility and sparked further controversy after reports revealed that Sweeney is a registered Republican, which Trump welcomed positively. Vice President J.D. Vance also criticized the liberal backlash to the ad, framing it as an overreaction. Simultaneously occurring, the article contrasts American Eagle’s success with Jaguar Land Rover’s struggles following their “woke” ad campaign, which led to the resignation of Jaguar’s CEO amid notable public criticism. American Eagle remains committed to the campaign and highlights its focus on celebrating confidence and inclusivity in wearing their jeans, with early sales data showing promise.
American Eagle stock soars 23% after Trump praises Sydney Sweeney ad
American Eagle Outfitters shares skyrocketed by more than 23% Monday after President Donald Trump publicly praised the company’s ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, a viral moment that turned a denim ad into a culture war flashpoint.
On his social media platform, Trump called the campaign “the HOTTEST ad out there,” adding that American Eagle jeans were “flying off the shelves.” Although the initial post contained a typo of Sweeney’s name, the repost quickly gained traction, boosting attention and investor enthusiasm.
The stock surged as much as 18% intraday, the biggest single-day gain since May 2023, before settling at a 23.65% increase by the end of the business day.
The ad, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” launched in late July and plays on the word “genes.” The Euphoria actress delivers a cheeky voiceover: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color … My jeans are blue,” she says as the camera pans to her eyes.
The campaign sparked both praise and backlash. Supporters applauded its humor and nod to old-school denim marketing, while critics accused it of tone-deaf messaging, suggesting it unintentionally evoked themes of racial purity or eugenics.
American Eagle responded, emphasizing that the ad is “and always was about the jeans.”
Trump’s involvement brought the campaign to new heights and controversy. Over the weekend, multiple outlets reported that Sweeney is a registered Republican in Florida, citing public voter registration records. Trump, when asked about the reports, responded:
REPORTER: “Actress Sydney Sweeney — it came out this weekend that she’s a registered Republican.”@POTUS: “You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans … I’m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic!” 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/baLwJHBbuD
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 4, 2025
“Ohhhhh, now I love her ad… If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
In a follow-up post, Trump emphasized: “Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.”
Vice President JD Vance also joined the fray, mocking liberal backlash to the campaign during an appearance on the Ruthless podcast: “You have a normal all-American beautiful girl doing a normal jeans ad… and [Democrats] have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing … They can’t help but freak out.”
🚨 LMAO! JD Vance just reacted to leftists melting down over Sydney Sweeney
“My political advice to Democrats is continue to tell everyone who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a NAZl” 🤣
“You guys, did you learn NOTHING from the 2024 election?! I actually thought one of… pic.twitter.com/qp3zLxU9lG
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 1, 2025
Vance suggested the criticism revealed more about the political left’s disconnect with cultural norms than anything about the ad itself, quipping: “That’s how you’re going to win the midterm, by calling people Nazis for liking Sydney Sweeney.”
While American Eagle saw a surge, luxury automaker Jaguar hit a wall after its own controversial campaign. Jaguar Land Rover CEO Adrian Mardell announced he is stepping down after leading the brand’s “Copy Nothing” rebrand, which drew backlash for featuring androgynous models, flamboyant outfits, and no cars in a 30-second ad.
The campaign went viral for all the wrong reasons, racking up 47 million views and tens of thousands of critical comments. Many online dubbed it: “Bud Light 2.0.”
Trump slammed Jaguar in the same social media spree: “On the other side of the ledger, Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER! The CEO just resigned in disgrace, and the company is in absolute turmoil. Who wants to buy a Jaguar after looking at that disgraceful ad. Shouldn’t they have learned a lesson from Bud Lite, which went Woke and essentially destroyed, in a short campaign, the Company.”
Mardell, who had been with Jaguar Land Rover for over 30 years, is retiring amid declining brand sentiment and what insiders described as growing internal pressure.
THE LEFT’S CAUCASOPHOBIA ON DISPLAY OVER SYDNEY SWEENEY AD
Meanwhile, American Eagle hasn’t backed down. In a statement released Friday, the company said: “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The campaign’s effect on sales remains to be seen, but early data is promising.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
