After an American Eagle ad featuring Sydney Sweeney sparked a wave of backlash, Sen. Ted Cruz stepped in to defend the actress.
The Texas Republican voiced his support on X, formerly Twitter, on July 29, criticizing what he described as the “crazy Left” for attacking Sweeney’s denim campaign. Some critics claimed the ad subtly promoted eugenics and glorified whiteness.
Responding to a New York Post article that covered the controversy, Cruz wrote: “Wow. Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women. I’m sure that will poll well….”
The campaign, part of a broader partnership between the Euphoria star and American Eagle, played on the phrase “good genes.” The pun emphasized both her physical traits and the jeans she wore — American Eagle denim.
But not long after the campaign went live, concerns began to mount online. Critics warned that the wordplay sent troubling signals about beauty standards, race, and notions of genetic “superiority.”
Cruz wasn’t alone in weighing in. Others, like Bachelor alum Gabby Windey and pop star Doja Cat, also shared their opinions — with Doja Cat mocking the ad in a TikTok video.
Sydney Sweeney, an American Eagle ad campaign and why it sparked backlash
In one segment of the campaign, Sweeney appears in a full denim look and says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.”
“My jeans are blue,” she adds, as the camera captures her blue jeans and matching blue eyes.
The ad’s retro vibe — a sensual blonde in denim, appealing to the male gaze — struck some as outdated and regressive.
“How far back do you plan on going? Do you still wanna vote?” one viewer commented. Another criticized Sweeney directly: “You accept these jobs that objectify your body. Fight the patriarchy, don’t join it.”
But for some, the deeper concern lay in how the ad invoked the concept of “good genes.”
Critics pointed to the disturbing legacy of eugenics — a pseudoscientific movement that aimed to “improve” the human race by promoting selective breeding. Once used to justify racial violence and forced sterilizations, eugenics carries heavy historical baggage. Positioning Sweeney as the poster child for “good genes,” detractors argued, echoed that painful past.
Complicating matters further is the fact that the ad comes from a brand named “American Eagle.” Denim and Americana are deeply intertwined, symbolizing everything from rugged individualism to a mythic national identity. For some, those layers made the message of the ad even more loaded.
