George Clooney pushes back after Trump’s New Year’s Eve attacks over French citizenship

Actor George Clooney has pushed back at President Donald Trump after Trump publicly mocked him and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, for obtaining French citizenship.

On New Year’s Eve, Trump took to his social media platform to criticize the Clooneys after news broke that they and their twins had been granted French citizenship.

In his message, the president sarcastically called the couple “two of the worst political prognosticators of all time,” criticised France’s handling of immigration, and disparaged Clooney’s film career, suggesting he gained more attention for his political views than for his acting.

In response, Clooney issued a pointed statement on January 2, echoing Trump’s own political slogan while reframing it as a call to action. “I totally agree with the President,” Clooney said. “We have to make America great again. We’ll start in November.” The remark was widely interpreted as a reference to the 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress could shift and have significant political repercussions.

Clooney and his family received French citizenship last month after years of living in southern France, where the actor has praised strict privacy laws that help protect his children from intense media scrutiny. The decision to pursue nationality abroad aligns with the Clooneys’ longstanding emphasis on family privacy and stability.

The exchange with Trump highlights a broader pattern of political tension between the longtime Democratic supporter and the Republican president. Clooney has been vocal in the past about his political views and has criticized Trump’s policies on multiple fronts, while Trump has not shied away from responding with barbed remarks when the actor weighs in.

By using the president’s own language about “making America great,” Clooney’s response underscores not just his disagreement with Trump’s assessment but also his belief in active civic engagement in the political process. As the year unfolds, the remarks signal that the actor intends to remain outspoken on issues he considers important, even as his personal choices — like obtaining dual citizenship — draw public attention.