Hollywood actor George Clooney has delivered a pointed riposte to former US President Donald Trump, turning his famous political slogan against him following a bitter New Year's Eve social media attack.
A Long-Running Feud Reignites
The latest salvo in the years-long public dispute between the two men was fired by Trump on 31 December 2025. On his Truth Social platform, the former president mocked Clooney's film career and criticised the news that the actor and his wife, renowned human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, had recently obtained French citizenship.
"Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies," Trump wrote. He repeated claims that Clooney had "dumped" Joe Biden by urging him to quit the 2024 presidential race, adding, "He wasn’t a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics."
Clooney's 'MAGA' Retort
Clooney responded hours later with a statement that deftly co-opted Trump's own campaign mantra. "We have to make America great again. We’ll start in November," the actor said, according to a report by Deadline. This was a clear reference to the upcoming US elections in November 2026.
The exchange was sparked by a recent profile of Clooney in Variety magazine, where the Oscar-winner discussed his past relationship with Trump. "I knew him very well," Clooney revealed. "He used to call me a lot, and he tried to help me get into a hospital once to see a back surgeon. He’s a big goofball. Well, he was. That all changed."
Broader Criticisms and a French Retreat
In the same interview, Clooney also criticised major US news networks CBS and ABC for settling lawsuits brought by Trump. "If CBS and ABC had challenged those lawsuits and said, 'Go f*** yourself,' we wouldn’t be where we are in the country," he argued, suggesting it set a dangerous precedent.
The news of the Clooneys' French citizenship, which Trump derided, followed their purchase of a £6.5 million ($8.3m) 425-acre estate in Provence in 2021. The property includes an 18th-century mansion, a pool, tennis courts, and an ornamental lake.
Clooney, whose career box office takings exceed $2 billion, has previously expressed concern about being targeted by Trump but remains defiant. Speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper, he stated, "I want to be able to look at my kids in the eye and say where we stood and what we did at certain times in history." With his latest quip, the actor has ensured this very public and personal political battle shows no sign of abating.
