'Not here to talk about politics,' says Sydney Sweeney
What's the story
Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney has finally opened up about the controversy surrounding her political identity. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, she addressed being labeled "MAGA Barbie" online and clarified that she doesn't want to be involved in political discussions or have assumptions made about her beliefs. The speculation intensified after her American Eagle jeans commercial in July 2025, which some criticized as "Nazi propaganda."
Political identity
'I've always been here to make art'
Sweeney, who recently launched her lingerie line SYRN, said, "I've never been here to talk about politics. I've always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of." "And I think because of that, people want to take it even further and use me as their own pawn. But it's somebody else assigning something to me and I can't control that."
No-win situation
'There's no winning': Sweeney on addressing political assumptions
When asked why she doesn't publicly correct assumptions about her political leanings, Sweeney admitted that doing so often feels like a no-win situation. "I haven't figured it out. I'm not a hateful person. If I say, 'That's not true,' they'll come at me like, 'You're just saying that to look better.' There's no winning. There's never any winning." "I just have to continue being who I am because I know who I am. I can't make everyone love me."
Core values
Sweeney's core values and professional identity
Sweeney further emphasized her core values, saying, "I became an actor because I like to tell stories but I don't believe in hate in any form. I believe we should all love each other and have respect and understanding for one another." The American Eagle campaign situation escalated when President Donald Trump made comments in August, reportedly referring to the actor being a registered Republican.
Backlash response
Sweeney's reaction to backlash and her approach moving forward
Sweeney previously addressed the backlash in an interview with PEOPLE in December, revealing that she was taken aback by the reaction. "I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true," she said at the time. She added, "Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness."