Award-winning actor George Clooney has issued a pointed response to former US President Donald Trump, who publicly mocked Clooney and his wife for obtaining French citizenship. The political spat erupted over the New Year period, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the Hollywood liberal and the former commander-in-chief.
The Exchange of Barbs
On New Year's Eve 2025, Donald Trump penned a lengthy social media post from his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, targeting the Clooneys. He labelled George and human rights attorney Amal Clooney as "two of the worst political prognosticators of all time" for becoming citizens of France. Trump criticised France's immigration policies and linked them to issues under President Joe Biden's administration.
In his rant, Trump dismissed Clooney's film career, calling him an "average guy" who made "totally mediocre" movies and complained about politics. He also referenced Clooney's past withdrawal of support from Biden after a debate, and his subsequent backing of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Clooney's retort, shared with The Hollywood Reporter, was succinct and loaded with political subtext. "I totally agree with the current president," Clooney stated. "We have to make America great again. We'll start in November." This comment is widely interpreted as a dig at Trump's famous campaign slogan and a call for political change in the upcoming US election.
Background to the French Move
The clash followed news in late December 2025 that George and Amal Clooney, along with their eight-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, had officially received their French passports. The couple, who own a property in the South of France, had been seen enjoying a romantic outing there shortly before Trump's comments.
Clooney, a politically outspoken figure, has previously cited France's strict privacy laws as a key reason for choosing to raise his family there, offering them protection from intense media scrutiny.
Broader Concerns About Media and Politics
Just one day before Trump's New Year's Eve post, Clooney gave an interview to Variety where he discussed his past relationship with Trump, describing him as a "big goofball" who used to call him frequently. However, Clooney expressed grave concerns about the current state of American media and politics.
He strongly criticised television networks ABC and CBS for settling lawsuits filed against them by Trump. In July 2025, Paramount (CBS News's parent) agreed to pay Trump $16 million over the editing of a Kamala Harris interview. Earlier, ABC paid $15 million to settle a suit related to coverage of E. Jean Carroll's assault allegations.
"If CBS and ABC had challenged those lawsuits and said, 'Go f*** yourself,' we wouldn't be where we are in the country. That's simply the truth," Clooney asserted, suggesting the settlements were an attempt to curry favour rather than defend press freedom.
He also voiced alarm over changes at CBS News under its new ownership, specifically the appointment of conservative commentator Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief. "Bari Weiss is dismantling CBS News as we speak," he told Variety. "I'm worried about how we inform ourselves and how we're going to discern reality without a functioning press."
Reflecting on the political climate, Clooney drew parallels to his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck, which chronicled journalist Edward R. Murrow's stand against McCarthyism. He quoted Murrow: "'Let's not confuse dissent with disloyalty.' I mean, what a beautiful statement about who we are at our best. But all too often we fall short."
Clooney concluded on a determined note, describing the present as a "very trying time" but insisting that "quitting isn't an option." The actor's latest confrontation with Trump underscores the deep cultural and political divisions that continue to shape public discourse in the United States.
