George Clooney Acquires French Citizenship...Trump Mocks: "Good News, France Faces Serious Crime Due to Immigration"

Actor George Clooney Recently Acquires French Citizenship
A Strong Critic of Trump and Supporter of the Democratic Party
Trump: "France Faces Serious Crime Due to Immigration Policies"

George Clooney, a prominent Hollywood actor known for his support of the Democratic Party, recently acquired French citizenship, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to mockingly call it "good news." According to Yonhap News, President Trump posted on his social media on December 31 (local time), "George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prophets in history, have officially become French citizens," adding, "France is a country with serious crime issues due to its failed immigration policies."

Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife acquiring French citizenship drew a mocking response from U.S. President Donald Trump, who called it "good news." Photo by AP Yonhap News

President Trump also referenced the fact that Clooney had urged then-President Joe Biden to drop his bid for re-election during the 2024 presidential race, citing concerns over Biden's cognitive abilities, and later endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris. He criticized Clooney, saying, "Clooney has gained more notoriety in politics than from his handful of mediocre films," and added, "He is not a movie star at all but just an ordinary person who constantly complained about common sense in politics."

Clooney, one of Hollywood's leading anti-Trump figures, has been actively involved in fundraising for Democratic presidential candidates. In a talk show in September 2024, he even stated, "If President Trump leaves politics, I will devote myself solely to acting." Last March, after President Trump returned to the White House, Clooney publicly criticized him, saying, "President Trump is suppressing the free press."

Actors George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The Clooney family recently made headlines for acquiring French citizenship. In early December last year, Clooney publicly expressed his intention to obtain citizenship, citing France's culture of privacy protection. In an interview with France's RTL radio at the time, Clooney said, "I love French culture and language," and added, "I have taken French lessons for over 400 days, but I am still not very fluent." He emphasized, "In France, people do not take photos of children, and there are no paparazzi hiding in front of schools. For us, that is the most important thing."

However, despite Clooney's limited proficiency in French, his acquisition of citizenship has sparked concerns over fairness within French political circles. On December 31 (local time), Marie-Pierre Bedr?ne, Deputy Minister of the Interior, said in an interview with 'France Info' radio, "We are very proud that Clooney applied for naturalization," but also cautioned, "We need to be careful about what message this sends." She added, "This decision does not send the right message," and, speaking from a personal standpoint, pointed out that this is "a matter of fairness."

The French government has tightened the requirements for acquiring citizenship starting this year. For French language proficiency, the minimum requirement has been raised from B1 to B2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Additionally, a new citizenship test has been introduced, requiring applicants to answer at least 32 out of 40 questions (80%) correctly in order to obtain citizenship.