President Donald Trump’s top Hollywood foe has spoken out against his Iran war—triggering a swift clapback from the White House.
George Clooney, 64, lashed out at Trump’s threat to wipe out an entire civilization amid a high-stakes standoff with Iran over the reopening of a critical waterway.
“This is not a great moment in American history,” Clooney told nearly 3,000 students at a human rights summit in Cuneo, Italy, news agency ANSA reported Wednesday.
Early Tuesday morning, hours ahead of his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump unleashed a chilling threat on Truth Social.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he wrote.
“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he continued. “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
Clooney said the remarks crossed the line.
“Some say Donald Trump is fine, but if someone says he wants to end civilization, that’s a crime,” he said. “You can still support the conservative point of view, but there has to be a line of decency, and we shouldn’t cross it.”
The White House was quick to hit back at Clooney, who has repeatedly clashed with Trump over the years.
“The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X, reposting Clooney’s remarks.
The Daily Beast has reached out to a rep for Clooney, but has not heard back.
In a statement to Variety, Clooney hit back: “Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The world’s economy is on a knife’s edge. This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name calling. I’ll start. A war crime is alleged ‘when there is intent to physically destroy a nation,’ as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute. What is the administration’s defense? [besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in ‘Batman and Robin?’].”
Just an hour before his deadline, Trump walked back his threat to end an entire civilization by announcing a two-week ceasefire with Iran.
“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution.”
