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The controversy began when American Eagle launched an advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney promoting their jeans. Despite the clothing's straightforward branding—"Great jeans"—the media attempted to spin the campaign as a white supremacist dog whistle. Critics relentlessly tried to gaslight the audience into believing there was some underlying racial or ideological messaging, which Sweeney and her team firmly denied. Rather than conform or apologize, Sweeney chose to stand her ground, refusing to bow to what she saw as manufactured outrage.