Euphoria star’s Republican registration emerges as denim campaign faces racial undertone claims

Sydney Sweeney’s political affiliation has been thrust into the spotlight after it emerged she was a registered Republican ahead of the 2024 US election — just as controversy over her latest jeans advert continues to escalate.

A report from The Guardian revealed that the Euphoria actor registered to vote in Florida on 14 June 2024, shortly after buying a mansion in the state. Public records show she listed her party affiliation as Republican.

The revelation comes while Sweeney, 27, is at the centre of a storm over her commercial for American Eagle jeans. The campaign plays on the pun “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” with one ad featuring her discussing the effects of “genes” on the human body.

What some saw as harmless wordplay quickly drew criticism on social media, with many arguing the pairing of Sweeney — a blonde-haired, blue-eyed star — and the “genes” reference had uncomfortable racial undertones. Some suggested it echoed eugenics-era dog whistles.

High-profile figures have joined the backlash. Doja Cat mocked the ad in a TikTok video, while Lizzo posted a denim-clad photo captioned: “My jeans are black…”

On 2 August, American Eagle issued a statement defending the campaign: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”

The row has reignited scrutiny over Sweeney’s political associations. In 2023, she faced criticism when photos from her mother’s 60th birthday party appeared to show guests wearing MAGA merchandise and Blue Lives Matter T-shirts — symbols linked to Donald Trump’s presidency and opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. At the time, Sweeney dismissed the outrage as a “misinterpretation,” saying: “People are so fast to build someone up, and then they love tearing them down.”

This latest revelation has even drawn comment from the former US president himself. Asked about her voter registration, Donald Trump told reporters: “Now I love her ad! You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans … I’m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic!”

The actor, however, has not publicly addressed her voting record since it surfaced. She has been focusing on her work, with her upcoming film Christy — billed as a “future Oscar contender” — set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

The combination of political scrutiny and advertising controversy has placed Sweeney at the centre of a media and cultural flashpoint. In the age of highly politicised consumer markets, where brand ambassadors are often judged on personal beliefs as much as professional work, her situation highlights the volatile overlap between celebrity, politics, and commerce.

Whether the fallout will affect Sweeney’s career or public image remains to be seen. For now, the debate around her jeans ad — and the politics attached to her name — shows no signs of fading.