George Clooney Reflects on His Former Friendship with President Donald Trump

George Clooney reflects on his former friendship with President Donald Trump.

“I knew him quite well,” Clooney, 64, shared with Variety in an interview released on Tuesday, December 30. “He used to call me frequently and even tried to assist me in getting into a hospital for a back surgery. I would run into him at clubs and restaurants.”

The Oscar-winning actor noted that Trump’s personality shifted once he entered politics. “He’s a big goofball,” he remarked, “Well, he used to be. That all changed.” (Trump was elected president in 2016 and again in 2024.)

Clooney, who is known for his progressive views, emphasized that this has been a “challenging” period for the United States. His remarks came just a day after he, his wife Amal Clooney, and their eight-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, were awarded French citizenship, according to a naturalization decree published in the Journal Officiel on Saturday, December 27.

The couple has a farm in the south of France that features 100 acres of vineyards and 1200 olive trees, serving as their main residence. They also own additional properties in England and Italy.

Clooney has previously discussed his choice to raise his children on a farm, having grown up on one in Kentucky himself, and how his outlook on rural living has evolved over the years.

“A significant portion of my childhood was spent on a farm, and as a kid, I despised the concept,” he shared with Esquire in October, reflecting on his desire to leave Los Angeles behind. “But now for them, it’s like — they’re not glued to their iPads, you know? They dine with adults and have to clean up after themselves. They enjoy a much healthier lifestyle.”

The actor expressed concern about raising his twins in “the culture of Hollywood,” believing it wouldn’t provide them with a “fair chance” at a normal upbringing.

“In France, they really don’t care about fame,” he explained. “I don’t want them to be constantly aware of paparazzi. I don’t want them compared to other famous kids.”

Spending time on a farm also teaches his children practical skills, he recounted, recalling an occasion when he had them repainting an old fence damaged by the sun.

“At first, they’re doing these tiny brushstrokes, like boop, boop, boop,” he joked. “And I said, ‘Nooo, paint the entire fence!’ Then they went wild, painting everywhere and getting covered in paint and oil.”

While officially becoming French citizens may be a recent development, George and Amal, 47, are well-acquainted with European living. The couple met in Lake Como, Italy, in 2013, and married in Venice the following year.

Since the birth of Ella and Alexander in June 2017, the family has created a summer tradition of residing in their villa in the northern Italian Alps.

In August 2022, a source exclusively informed Us Weekly that George and Amal found comfort in Europe during the summer months.

“They’re incredibly happy and in a great place right now,” the insider noted, mentioning that when not with their children, George and Amal cherished “date nights and countryside drives.”