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American Eagle Outfitters saw its stock surge more than 17 percent on Monday after President Donald Trump publicly praised actress Sydney Sweeney’s denim ad campaign for the retailer, calling it the “HOTTEST” in the country.
The jump comes after months of underperformance. According to Bloomberg, American Eagle shares had been down 36 percent year-to-date before Monday’s rally.
“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!” Trump posted on Monday on Truth Social.
The ad campaign featuring the “Euphoria” actress sparked controversy after it launched in July. Critics argued the slogan, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” hinted at racism with the implication of “great genes.” Supporters dismissed the backlash as manufactured outrage, calling the campaign lighthearted and clever.
American Eagle defended the ad’s intent, stating it was purely focused on denim. Despite the controversy, the campaign coincided with a spike in the company’s share price.
Trump’s endorsement of Sweeney followed a report from BuzzFeed revealing the actress registered as a Republican in Florida in June 2024.
In response, Trump said Sunday, “If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
In his post on Monday, the president contrasted Sweeney with pop star Taylor Swift, a high-profile Democratic supporter who endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
“Or just look at Woke singer Taylor Swift. Ever since I alerted the world as to what she was by saying on TRUTH that I can’t stand her (HATE!),” Trump wrote. “She was booed out of the Super Bowl and became, NO LONGER HOT.”
“The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he added.
Vice President JD Vance also weighed in Friday, mocking the left’s reaction to the ad during an appearance on the “Ruthless” podcast.
“My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi,” Vance said. “That appears to be their actual strategy.”
