As political controversy swirls around Sydney Sweeney’s alleged Republican registration and viral American Eagle ad, Meghan McCain joins Donald Trump in backing the actress, urging critics to stop tearing her down.
Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney has found herself at the center of a growing political and cultural storm — but she’s not without high-profile defenders.
Over the weekend, conservative commentator and former The View cohost Meghan McCain came to Sweeney’s defense after the actress faced backlash online. The controversy erupted when voter registration records in Florida indicated that a “Sydney B. Sweeney” — matching the Euphoria star’s full name and birthdate — registered as a Republican on June 14, 2024.
In a blunt post on X (formerly Twitter), McCain wrote, “Leave 👏 her 👏 alone 👏,” making her position unmistakably clear. The statement came as Sweeney, 27, was swept into a partisan firestorm, intensified by the release of her American Eagle campaign titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
The campaign, which features the actress posing in denim with a tagline many have interpreted as a double entendre referencing genetics, triggered debate across social media platforms. Critics accused it of nodding toward eugenics ideology, while supporters hailed it as harmless and empowering.
Former President Donald Trump also entered the fray, throwing his weight behind Sweeney and her campaign. Speaking to reporters in Pennsylvania, Trump was informed of her alleged Republican affiliation and responded with characteristic enthusiasm.
“She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad,” Trump said. “You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That’s one I wouldn’t have known. But I’m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
The former president followed up with additional praise on Truth Social, calling it “the HOTTEST ad out there,” and congratulating American Eagle on jeans that are “flying off the shelves.”
In response to the growing debate, American Eagle issued a statement on August 1, reaffirming its commitment to inclusivity. “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans, her story,” the brand said. “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
But for Sweeney, this isn’t her first brush with controversy over perceived political affiliations. In 2022, she faced criticism after photos emerged from her mother’s 60th birthday party, where guests were seen wearing MAGA-style hats that read “Make Sixty Great Again” and Blue Lives Matter attire.
Responding to the backlash in an interview with Variety, Sweeney clarified: “The people in the pictures weren’t even my family… They were my mom’s friends from L.A. who have kids that are walking outside in the Pride parade, and they thought it would be funny to wear [those things] because they were coming to Idaho.”
The two-time Emmy nominee has also spoken candidly about feeling misunderstood — both in Hollywood and back home in conservative Spokane County, Washington. “When I go home, my family doesn’t understand me or the world I’m in anymore,” she told British GQ in 2022. “But then in this industry, my home and the place that grounds me is so vastly different to how people live there. I’m in this in-between place where I feel like neither side understands me.”
Outside of political discourse, Sweeney has emerged as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. After a breakout performance opposite Zendaya in Euphoria, she headlined the 2023 romantic comedy Anyone But You, which grossed $220 million globally. Her recent roles include the psychological horror Immaculate and a supporting part in Madame Web.
As debate over Sweeney’s politics continues, voices like McCain’s and Trump’s are ensuring the conversation remains not only cultural but sharply political — highlighting the tightrope celebrities often walk in today’s polarized climate. Whether or not Sweeney chooses to respond, the message from her defenders is clear: Let the woman — and her jeans — be.
