Donald Trump slams George Clooney and Amal Clooney after they gain French citizenship
“Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few and completely mediocre movies. He was by no means a movie star, just an average guy who constantly complained about common sense in politics. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The French government defended the decision
The French government said the couple were granted citizenship because they “contributed through their distinguished actions to the international influence and cultural support of France.”
The decision responded to concerns raised this week by Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister at the Home Office who said some of the Clooneys’ new French citizens might think the star couple was being given special treatment. The actor speaks only French, which he says is “terrible, terrible”.
“The message being sent is not a good one,” Vedrenne said in an interview with broadcaster France Info. “It’s a matter of justice that, in my view, is absolutely necessary.”
The couple bought a property in France in 2021, and Clooney said it is their primary residence. There are multiple possible paths for naturalization for non-French people living in France. It was unclear whether the 64-year-old actor retained his American citizenship. His wife, 47, was born in Lebanon and raised in the UK and was naturalized by France under her maiden name Amal Alamuddin. Eight-year-old twins were born in London.
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The State Department said the Clooneys are eligible for citizenship under French law, which allows naturalization of foreign nationals who contribute to France’s international influence and economic prosperity.
He argued that France’s film industry would benefit from the actor’s influence as a global movie star, and said that Amal Clooney, as a lawyer, regularly works with academic institutions and international organizations in France.
“They maintain strong personal, professional and family ties with our country,” the ministry said.
In the statement, he added a French touch by adding the letter “s” to the end of the actor’s name, saying, “Like many French citizens, we are very happy to have Georges and Amal Clooney join the national community.”
The decision was also defended by Vedrenne’s superior at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who said he had signed the naturalization decree.
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He said it is a great chance for our country.
In recent media interviews while promoting his movie jay kellyClooney said he tried to teach himself French using a language learning app. He said that his wife and children speak the language perfectly.
“They speak French in front of me so that they can say terrible things about me to my face and I don’t know,” he joked, speaking to French broadcaster Canal+.
French media reported that the Clooneys lived part-time at their luxury 18th-century villa outside the town of Brignoles in southern France, where they were able to keep a lower profile and their children were protected from unauthorized photographs by French privacy laws.
with AP
