George Clooney publicly criticizes Donald Trump
Over remarks concerning Iran
Actor George Clooney has described US President Donald Trump’s threat toward Iran – that «a whole civilization will be wiped out tonight» – as a war crime. He made the statement during a meeting with around three thousand high school students in the Italian city of Cuneo. The event was organized by the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
According to Clooney, such rhetoric about the destruction of civilization is unacceptable and goes beyond the boundaries of political discourse. Even when holding conservative views, he emphasized, there must be «a line of decency that cannot be crossed».
In response, the White House communications director Steven Cheung sharply criticized the actor, claiming that «the only person committing war crimes is George Clooney – through his terrible films and acting».
Clooney later responded in a comment to Deadline, calling for serious public debate instead of personal insults. He noted that «families are losing loved ones, children are burning, and the global economy is on edge», stressing the need for «meaningful, high-level discussions».
He also clarified that the intent to physically destroy a nation constitutes a war crime under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute.
«What is the administration’s argument, other than calling me a failed actor – which I happily accept after ‘Batman & Robin’?», his statement read.
The conflict between Clooney and Trump has been ongoing for years. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Clooney drew media attention after publishing an opinion piece in The New York Times urging Joe Biden to withdraw from the race to give the Democratic Party a better chance against Trump.
In response, Trump called Clooney a «fake movie actor» who allegedly never made truly great films. Earlier, he also described him as a «second-rate movie star» following Clooney’s criticism of government policy on press freedom.
Despite their political differences, Clooney previously stated that he had maintained a normal relationship with Trump before his presidency. In an interview with Variety, he said:
«I knew him well. He used to call me often and even tried to help me get into a hospital to see a surgeon. We met in clubs and restaurants. He was something of an eccentric. At least he was. Then everything changed».
It has also previously been reported that such rhetoric about the possible destruction of civilian infrastructure in Iran has raised concerns among legal experts. They argue that such statements may undermine the presumption of lawful military orders and increase the risk of US service members being accused of war crimes under the Geneva Conventions. Legal scholars stress that orders potentially leading to mass civilian casualties conflict with international law and US military standards.
Photo: depositphotos
