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 the company’s denim ad featuring 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 that chorus Monday in a Truth Social post Monday, calling it “the “HOTTEST” ad out there.” Shares of American Eagle then surged; they were up more than 20% as of about 1 p.m. ET.
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 from 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 being told the actress was a registered Republican.
NBC News has reached out to Sweeney’s representatives 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.”
The retailer has underperformed so far in 2025. Even with Monday’s gains, the stock was down more than 20% so far this year. The company’s first-quarter results missed expectations. It lost $85 million during the three-month period 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 during a May earnings call that tariffs would cost the company $40 million as the company tries to mitigate their impacts.
The company also pulled its full-year financial guidance in May, citing economic uncertainty. At the time, retailer said it expected sales to fall again during the current quarter.
