Former President **Donald Trump** ignited controversy this week after gushing over actress **Sydney Sweeney**, calling her American Eagle **“the HOTTEST ad out there”**, then turning his attention to **Taylor Swift**, dismissing her as **“no longer hot.”** The stark comparison between the two women—a registered Republican versus a vocal Democrat—sparked anger, disgust, and debates across social media UNILAD reports on public backlash and **The Independent** covers the cultural fallout on Trump’s political framing.
Trump’s praise for Sydney came in a Truth Social post, heaping admiration on her American Eagle ad—especially after learning she is a **registered Republican**, saying he now “loves her ad” and applauding the campaign’s popularity. In contrast, he labelled Taylor Swift “no longer hot” following her public support for Democratic candidates Politico examines his comments and **News.com.au** notes the escalation in his feud with Swift and Swift criticism.
“Ever since I said I can’t stand her… she was booed at the Super Bowl and NO LONGER HOT.”
The American Eagle ad itself stirred criticism even before Trump’s praise. Sydney’s tagline—**“genes are passed down”—crossed into “jeans”—** and some critics accused it of echoing eugenic undertones celebrating white genetic traits. American Eagle defended the spot, insisting it was “always about the jeans,” not genetics The Independent on the ad’s controversy and **Vanity Fair outlines the backlash** on campaign politics.
Trump’s commentary, however, proved even more divisive. Many on social media condemned the rhetoric as **misogynistic**, condescending, and unbecoming of a former leader, with one user writing, “He speaks so confidently about *women* being attractive while being arguably the ugliest man in America”—indicating that for many, the remarks crossed a line far beyond partisan culture war talk public disgust expressed online.
Swift’s supporters reacted vehemently, calling Trump’s public fixation disturbing. Critics reminded that **Taylor Swift endorsed Democratic campaigns**, and Trump’s accusations of her being “not hot” were viewed not as evaluation of appearance, but punishment for her political views The backlash labeled cultural hostility.
Media analysts flagged this as the latest flashpoint in Trump’s ongoing “**anti-woke**” crusade, in which he praises celebrity allies like Sweeney while targeting those aligned with liberal causes. Swift has previously endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris—an alignment that Trump has repeatedly cited in prior Truth Social posts, including “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” and past claims she was “booed” at the Super Bowl contextualizing his feud and **The Independent traces Swift’s political endorsement history** showing context.
Social response has been swift and scornful: > “The patriarchy is real. She’s just a woman, and you’re treating her like currency.” > “Comparing a young actress to Swift by ‘hotness’ to punish politics is vile.” > “It’s not politics. It’s creepiness.” These quotes epitomize the emotional disgust triggered by instrumentalizing women’s bodies in partisan narratives from UNILAD’s crowd reactions.
For Sweeney, known for *Euphoria* and *White Lotus*, the endorsement from Trump may be a double‑edged sword: aligning her even more with GOP politics as cultural critics warn mixing celebrity and political tribalism in ads can backfire—especially if audiences interpret praise as conditional on ideology rather than talent The Guardian explains risk of polarizing talent.
In contrast, Taylor Swift’s reputation for independence and musicianship survived the 2024 election storm. Many fans see Trump’s “no longer hot” jab as vindictive and outdated—suggesting that, even if mainstream polls show Swift’s fame dipped, her devotion among fan bases remains unwavering public support highlighted.
Ultimately, the episode underscores an ongoing culture war trope: **celebrity bodies weaponized as political symbols**. Trump’s contrast of Sweeney and Swift wasn’t just commentary on beauty— it was a statement about identity, political affiliation, and consumer worth. And for many observers, that line of commentary is not only regressive—but deeply unsettling.
LEAVE US A COMMENT
Comments
comments