French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has defended George Clooney's recent naturalization, following U.S. President Donald Trump's mockery of the actor on Truth Social over his new French citizenship.
The Clooney family's French citizenship, granted by decree on December 26, 2025, has sparked transatlantic reactions. After Trump's New Year's Eve post calling Clooney and his wife Amal 'two of the worst political forecasters' and a 'mediocre' figure who fled to France, Clooney responded by repurposing Trump's slogan: 'We must restore greatness to America. We'll start in November,' eyeing the 2026 U.S. midterm elections.
In France, Nuñez dismissed claims of favoritism, insisting there is no 'two-tier system' for naturalizations. Despite reservations from delegate minister Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, he affirmed satisfaction with the decision, as the Clooneys reside in the Var department after buying property in Brignoles in 2021. Clooney has cited French culture and privacy protections for his children—away from U.S. paparazzi—as key reasons, telling RTL of his affection for the country.
This exchange continues tensions between the Trump administration and Hollywood figures like Clooney, a vocal Democratic supporter.
