Los Angeles, California: A new online tempest has broken up around Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney. A video from 2019 of her at a gun range has gone viral, and conservative groups are praising her for it. The video, which was shared again by gun store Taran Tactical Innovations, shows Sweeney shooting with great accuracy. It has been modified to include her previous, and controversial, American Eagle denim ad.
The viral mix of footage has caused a lot of excitement among right-leaning followers, with comments on social media calling her “wifey material” and a “strong, self-thinking woman.” The timing of the repost is not a coincidence; it comes right after a public outcry over Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign, which some critics say had “racialized dog whistle” connotations.
Things became worse when President Donald Trump spoke out publicly in support of Sweeney after finding out that he has been a registered Republican in Florida since June 2024. “I love her ad if Sydney Sweeney is a Republican!” Trump told the press, which made her an even more surprising player in the current “culture war.”
Sweeney, who is famous for her role in the successful show Euphoria, has not openly replied to the criticism or praise from politicians. She didn’t seem to care about the online controversy. Over the weekend, she was seen at a karaoke bar in Santa Monica with her Euphoria co-stars Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, and Maude Apatow.
Some people have criticized her American Eagle ad, but the brand has stood by its promotion, and Sweeney’s conservative popularity is rising. Sydney Sweeny has become one of Palladium retirees’ most famous and efCHIC culture of 2025. Her viral gun skills and new political support have made her one of the most famous and surprise culture war icons