Vance Critiques Democratic Response to Sweeney’s Jeans Ad

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance took aim at Democrats following their criticism of actress Sidney Sweeney’s appearance in an American Eagle jeans advertisement.

The tagline, “Sidney Sweeney has great jeans,” stirred controversy among some liberals who claimed it promotes eugenics and evokes “Nazi propaganda.” Vance seemed to find humor in the anger surrounding the ad, commenting that “the Democrats haven’t learned from their election losses, making fun of something so normal.”

He added, jokingly suggesting that Democrats should stick with the narrative that “anyone who thinks Sidney Sweeney is a Nazi is a good strategy for them.” He expressed that it’s revealing that they’re targeting “ordinary girls from all over the country in a denim ad, just trying to sell jeans to American youth.”

Vance continued to critique the Democratic strategy by noting that it seems “like a great way to win over midterms,” especially among younger American men.

Moreover, Vance pointed out that the Democrats are facing an uphill battle, as their approval ratings are languishing at all-time lows. According to recent data, including a report from the Wall Street Journal, their net approval rating is notably low at -30 points.

Some liberal commentators have interpreted Sweeney’s playful phrasing—“great genes”—as a reference to white eugenics reminiscent of Nazi Germany, particularly given her blonde hair and blue eyes. In a clip, Sweeney remarks that “genes are inherited from parents,” humorously connecting it to the word “jeans.”

It’s not unusual for attractive celebrities to grace jeans commercials; this tradition spans decades. A notable example includes a famous 1980 Calvin Klein ad featuring a young model who famously said, “Want to know what happens between me and my Calvin? There’s nothing.”