One of the odd side effects of Donald Trump’s loud, unfiltered communication style is that the awkward moment when MAGA world briefly overlapped with one of Hollywood’s rising stars played out in real time.
As the former president boarded Air Force One, a reporter asked if he had any thoughts on Sydney Sweeney—a “very hot actress right now”—being a registered Republican. Naturally, he did.
“She’s a registered Republican? Wow, now I love her ad. Is that true? Sydney Sweeney… You’d be surprised how many people are Republicans. That’s something I wouldn’t have known. But I’m glad you told me. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
For those unfamiliar (though there can’t be many), Sweeney first gained fame for her roles in HBO’s Euphoria and The White Lotus, and more recently starred alongside Julianne Moore in the thriller Echo Valley. But what’s made her impossible to ignore is her “more is more” approach to brand deals and social media’s relentless promotion of her.
She’s everywhere—smiling with anti-aging cream on her face, trying to make clunky loafers look cool, or posing with a dog to sell Samsung flip phones. She’s even in your bathtub, thanks to a bizarre collaboration with a men’s grooming brand selling “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss,” a soap containing a trace amount of her actual bathwater.
Her latest ad campaign, however, has landed her in hot water. In a spot for American Eagle jeans, she purrs: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My genes are blue.” The camera lingers on her eyes as the tagline flashes: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
The ad quickly sparked backlash, with critics accusing it of glorifying white, blonde, blue-eyed beauty standards. One viral TikTok called it “literally Nazi propaganda.” Meanwhile, JD Vance—never one to miss a culture war moment—jumped in, praising Sweeney as an “all-American beautiful woman” and slamming Democrats for their “hostility to basic American life.”
Amid the scrutiny, it emerged that Sweeney had registered as a Republican in Florida just months before Trump’s 2020 reelection bid.
As Trump’s gleeful reaction showed, the political upside for him is obvious. David Cracknell, a former political editor turned PR consultant, noted that politicians have long chased celebrity endorsements—JFK famously had Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. in his corner. Research from Harvard’s Ash Center suggests celebrity voices can significantly boost civic engagement and even sway polls.
While endorsements from stars like Taylor Swift and Oprah didn’t save Kamala Harris in 2020, a young actress’s tacit support could help Trump, especially as he faces scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
But for celebrities, Cracknell warns, dabbling in politics “usually ends in tears.” Just ask Kanye West.Here’s a more natural and fluent version of the text while preserving its original meaning:
Cracknell noted, “His reputation suffered because of his involvement. Later, he admitted feeling used by Trump. Honestly, what did he expect? Politicians are experts at manipulating the media—Trump does it constantly in real-time.”
PR expert Mark Borkowski, who has worked with celebrities like Michael Jackson and Joan Rivers, stressed that avoiding political ties is crucial—especially early in a career when public goodwill matters most. He pointed to Taylor Swift as an example: when she endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee in 2018, she faced backlash but stood her ground, later supporting Biden and Harris. Unlike established stars like John Wayne or Charlton Heston—who championed Republican causes and gun rights respectively—Swift could afford to take political stands because her career was already secure.
Borkowski shared his thoughts on Sydney Sweeney: “She’s become this irresistible Gen Z media sensation, channeling old Hollywood glamour like Jayne Mansfield or Marilyn Monroe. But she’s being overhyped. Right now, she’s clickbait—declaring political views in America’s toxic climate is a huge PR risk. She’s not Margot Robbie; she doesn’t have Oscars backing her up.”
Trump later amplified the risks celebrities face in politics by praising Sweeney’s instincts while attacking Swift on Truth Social: “After I called her out, she got booed at the Super Bowl and lost her appeal. Woke is for losers—Republicans are winning now.”
While Sweeney hasn’t revealed her political leanings, Borkowski warned: “Staying silent is smart. If she speaks up, she’ll face brutal backlash online. She’s a star, but she’s not untouchable yet.”
