What began as a quirky jeans commercial rapidly spiraled into one of the most virulent culture‑war flashpoints of 2025. Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign—featuring the playful line “great jeans”—was accused online of harboring racist and eugenics‑tinged messaging. The response? A White House communications director unleashing a scathing rebuke, calling the backlash “bull****” and decrying “cancel culture run amok.” This article dives deep into how a fashion ad became a political battleground—and what it reveals about our polarized media landscape.

The Ad That Triggered a Firestorm

American Eagle released a campaign prominently featuringSydney Sweeney—best known for Euphoria—with the pun: Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” The video included a line: “Genes are passed down… my jeans are blue.” Innocuous? Some thought otherwise. Critics on platforms like TikTok labeled the ad a “dog whistle” to white supremacist ideals, interpreting emphasis on “genes” and Sweeney’s blonde, blue‑eyed appearance as tone‑deaf or deliberately coded.

Meanwhile, PR analysts noted the attention might benefit the campaign. American Eagle’s stock rose, limited-edition jeans sold out, and Sweeney’s visibility skyrocketed.

White House Fires Back

Steven Cheung, White House Communications Director under President Trump. On X, he slammed the backlash:

Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bullshit.”

Republican figures quickly rallied. Senator Ted Cruz quipped, “Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women. I’m sure that will poll well.”

On the same wave, conservative media framed the outrage as emblematic of liberal excess, redirecting attention away from what they saw as trivial moral outrages.

Media Reaction: The Story Runs Amplified

While left‑leaning posts decried the ad, conservative outlets seized the moment:

Fox News dedicated far more airtime to the Sweeney controversy than to the Jeffrey Epstein revelations—181 mentions compared to just 18, critics noted—suggesting a strategic diversion into culture‑war territory.

Cultural critics, such as Caitlin Moran, later poked fun at how easily a jeans ad morphed into a fascism debate, indicting social media’s appetite for outrage.

An op‑ed in The Daily Beast lamented how hyper‑sensitive media dynamics elevate trivial controversies at the expense of serious issues.

Public Sentiment: Divided Reactions

Online reactions mirrored political polarization:

Left‑leaning users expressed concern over tone and imagery, echoing fears of subliminal messaging tied to whiteness or purity.

Some commenters argued the response itself was performative outrage—missing broader context or ignoring American Eagle’s charitable angle (proceeds going to domestic violence prevention).

Critics on TikTok framed the ad as “racist and fascist dog whistles,” while conservatives pushed back, calling it benign or even empowering.

Brands like American Eagle stayed mostly silent publicly, quietly swapping visuals and closing comments, letting the campaign—and controversy—run its course.

What It All Reveals: Culture Wars, Media Strategy, and Sensitivity Overload

This saga exposes several modern dynamics:

Blurring Lines: A fashion ad prompted national political commentary, underscoring how even marketing campaigns now tread ideological territory.

Strategic Outrage: Conservatives leveraged the backlash to criticize liberal culture‑war zeal, while the brand benefitted from heightened visibility and sales.

Media Manipulation: Disproportionate coverage by some outlets revealed how symbolic content can overshadow core journalistic responsibilities.

Silence as Strategy: Sweeney and American Eagle’s silence suggests a calculated refusal to inflame—letting the conflict burn itself out while monitoring public reaction.

Conclusion

In the evolving playbook of media‑political warfare, the Sydney Sweeney “great jeans” campaign became more than an advertisement—it was a coordinate in a broader culture‑war grid. The White House’s raw dismissal—calling liberal backlash “bull****”—captured the contempt many conservatives feel for performative outrage. Whether this moment signifies cultural fatigue, strategy, or something deeper, one thing is clear: in today’s climate, nothing—even denim—escapes ideology.