French government defends granting citizenship to George and Amal ClooneyFrance's government is defending its decision to grant citizenship to George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney, citing their contributions to France's international influence and cultural outreachByJOHN LEICESTER Associated PressDecember 31, 2025, 7:30 PMPARIS -- Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney were granted French citizenship because “they contribute, through their distinguished actions, to France’s international influence and cultural outreach,” the French government said Wednesday, defending their naturalization that was questioned by a junior French minister. The naturalizations of the Kentucky-born star of the “Ocean’s” series of heist movies, his wife and human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and their twins Ella and Alexander were announced last weekend in the Journal Officiel, where French government decrees are published. Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister at the Interior Ministry, expressed misgivings Wednesday that some of the Clooneys' new French compatriots may think that the star couple was granted special treatment. The actor speaks only what he himself says is “horrible, horrible" French. “The message being sent is not good,” Vedrenne said in an interview with broadcaster France Info.
