The American Eagle-Sydney Sweeney “great jeans” controversy has given way to Wall Street euphoria — thanks to President Donald Trump.
The clothing brand's stock skyrocketed Monday after Trump praised its denim ad featuring Sweeney, the "White Lotus" and "Anyone But You" star.
The company has come under fire from some social media users for its “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign. Critics on X and TikTok have described the ad as promoting “eugenics” for its wordplay on genetics.
Voices on the right celebrated the ad as a win against "woke" representation in media. Trump added to the chorus Monday on Truth Social, calling it “the “HOTTEST” ad out there." Shares of American Eagle surged; they closed more than 23% higher.
The ad campaign uses a play on words to describe Sweeney’s “great genes.” “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” Sweeney says in the ad. “My jeans are blue.”
In his Truth Social post, Trump criticized “woke” advertising by companies such as Jaguar and Budweiser but said Sweeney’s ad has led to jeans’ “flying off the shelves.” He also previously described Sweeney ad as “fantastic” after he was told she was a registered Republican.
Sweeney's representatives for comment did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
American Eagle did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its stock's performance. Last week it said the ad "is and always was about the jeans."
American Eagle has underperformed in 2025. Even with Monday's gains, the stock is down 21% this year. The company's first-quarter results missed expectations. It lost $85 million during the three months that ended in May, with sales falling 3%.
And while Trump’s words are boosting the company’s stock, his trade policies have threatened its profit margins. Chief Financial Officer Michael Mathias told investors on an earnings call in May that tariffs would cost the company $40 million as it tries to mitigate their impacts.
The company also pulled its full-year financial guidance in May, citing economic uncertainty. At the time, it said it expected sales to fall again during the current quarter.
