George Clooney has criticised Donald Trump after the US president attacked France for granting the Hollywood actor and his family French citizenship.
Clooney, 64, his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney and their two children became French citizens earlier this month, having lived for several years at a property in southern France.
The Oscar-winning actor has praised France’s strict privacy laws, saying they have shielded his family from media intrusion. He has also spoken about his desire to raise his children away from Hollywood.
Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform, welcoming Clooney’s departure from the United States. The president, whose administration has supported anti-immigration parties in Europe, mocked the actor’s political views and career.
“Good News! George and Amal Clooney … have officially become citizens of France,” Trump wrote, claiming the country was facing a major crime problem because of its handling of immigration.
He went on to dismiss Clooney’s film career, describing him as “totally mediocre” and accusing him of seeking attention through politics.
Responding in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Clooney referred to the US midterm elections on 3 November. “I totally agree with the current president,” he said. “We have to make America great again. We’ll start in November.”
The Clooneys’ naturalisation comes just ahead of tougher language requirements for French citizenship, which take effect from 1 January under new immigration rules.
The decision has drawn criticism within France. Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister in Emmanuel Macron’s government, said some citizens felt there was a double standard, noting that Clooney speaks limited French.
“We need to be careful about the message we’re sending,” she told France Info radio.
Senior ministers, including the interior minister, Laurent Nunez, defended the move. The foreign ministry said the Clooneys’ naturalisation followed a full legal process and met the criteria set out in French law.
Under the civil code, French nationality may be granted to foreigners who contribute through “distinguished service” to France’s international influence and economic interests.
From January, most applicants will need to demonstrate a level of French sufficient for university study and pass a civic knowledge test.
Clooney has acknowledged his struggles with the language. “I love French culture and your language, even if I’m still bad at it after 400 days of lessons,” he told RTL radio in December, speaking in English. His wife, a human rights lawyer with British and Lebanese nationality, is fluent in French.
The couple bought the Domaine du Canadel, a former wine estate near Brignoles in Provence, in 2021. Clooney has described it as the place where his family is “happiest”.
Nunez said France was “lucky” to welcome the Clooneys, while the foreign ministry said their presence would help promote France’s cultural and economic standing, particularly in the film industry.
Amal Clooney was described as a “renowned lawyer” who works regularly with academic institutions and international organisations based in France.
