American Eagle's stock surged by up to 24% on August 4, 2025, marking its largest single-day gain in 25 years, following public praise from former US President Donald Trump for the company's controversial jeans advertisement featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. The ad, which has sparked debate over alleged white supremacy undertones due to its emphasis on blonde hair and blue eyes, propelled the retailer into meme stock status. Trump expressed enthusiasm for the campaign, calling it "fantastic" and the "hottest out there," and highlighted Sweeney's affiliation as a registered Republican in Florida since 2024. Despite the backlash and accusations of promoting supremacist imagery, American Eagle has doubled down on the campaign, which has gone viral with over 50 million readers across approximately 3,000 articles. The controversy has made Sweeney a conservative favorite, and the campaign has been credited with revitalizing American Eagle's stock performance. Trump also contrasted his support for the ad by criticizing "woke" figures such as Taylor Swift. The actress herself has not publicly responded to the political affiliation revelations or the controversy surrounding the advertisement.