From Hollywood to the White House: Inside George Clooney and Donald Trump’s Decades-Long War of Words

George Clooney and Donald Trump actually used to be friendly. Not political allies, obviously, but they moved in some of the same rooms and even helped each other out. Then 2016 hit, and the vibe shifted hard. Since then, it has been public statements, op-eds, passports, and yes, some grade-school-level name-calling.

Back when they were friendly

Clooney says he knew Trump pretty well before politics swallowed everything. They would run into each other at clubs and restaurants, Trump called him a lot, and even tried to pull strings so Clooney could see a back specialist at a hospital. Clooney describes that pre-2016 Trump as a big goofball. That changed once Trump got serious about politics in 2016 and then won the presidency in 2016 and again in 2024.

Politics blew it up

Clooney has never been shy about leaning liberal, and he called the current era a tough one that can make you angry or depressed. His take: find the most positive way through it, keep your head down, and keep moving forward. Quitting is not on the table.

Clooney steps into 2024 - kind of

Instead of writing yet another anti-Trump piece, Clooney did something more unexpected in 2024: he published a New York Times op-ed urging Joe Biden not to run again. Biden ultimately stepped aside, endorsed Kamala Harris, and she went on to lose to Trump in November.

In June 2025, Clooney told CNN he saw the op-ed as civic duty. He said he is a Democrat, he grew up in Kentucky, and when he felt people on his own side were not being honest, it was time to say so. He also made the point that if you believe in free speech, you have to be OK with people saying things you do not like, and you have to stand by your words and deal with whatever follows.

French passports and a December 2025 pile-on

Right after Clooney’s December 2025 Variety interview, news broke that George and Amal Clooney - plus their two kids - were granted French citizenship. Trump weighed in on Truth Social within days, calling the couple terrible political prognosticators, slamming France as crime- ridden because of immigration (and taking a swipe at Joe Biden while he was at it), and dismissing Clooney’s film career as mediocre. He even said Clooney was never a movie star, just a guy who complained about common sense in politics. Subtlety was not the goal.

Clooney’s MAGA-flavored clapback

"I totally agree with the current president. We have to make America great again. We will start in November."

That January 2026 line - issued via statement, with a wink you could hear through the page - landed because Trump popularized the slogan and, by the Constitution, cannot run for a third term anyway.

Spring 2026: it gets even messier

In April 2026, speaking to Italian high school students, Clooney accused Trump of committing a war crime by threatening that a whole civilization would die in Iran unless the Strait of Hormuz was reopened. For context, on April 7, 2026, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and a temporary reopening of the strait.

The White House fired back fast. Communications Director Steven Cheung told The Independent that the only person committing war crimes was Clooney for his bad movies and terrible acting. Clooney responded through Us Weekly, pointing out that families are losing loved ones, children have been incinerated, and the global economy is on a knife’s edge - so maybe keep the debate serious and skip the playground insults.

Quick timeline

• 2016: Trump wins the presidency for the first time. Clooney says their pre-politics rapport evaporates once Trump enters the arena.
• 2024: Clooney writes a New York Times op-ed urging Biden not to run. Biden later exits the race, endorses Kamala Harris. Trump wins again in November.
• June 2025: Clooney tells CNN the op-ed was about civic duty and free speech, even when it annoys your own side.
• December 2025: Clooney tells Variety he used to know Trump well and that Trump once tried to help him see a back surgeon. Soon after, George and Amal - and their kids - get French citizenship. Trump blasts them on Truth Social and belittles Clooney’s career.
• January 2026: Clooney jabs back with a MAGA-tinged statement about making America great again in November.
• April 7, 2026: U.S. and Iran agree to a two-week ceasefire and temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
• April 2026: Clooney says Trump committed a war crime by threatening that a whole civilization in Iran would die if the strait did not reopen. The White House mocks his acting; Clooney says the stakes are too high for name-calling.

Where it stands

Two guys who once swapped calls about back doctors are now lobbing statements across an ocean - literally, given the new French passports. Trump cannot run again. Clooney is still Clooney, using his platform, occasionally trolling, and clearly not done talking.