Hollywood actor George Clooney recently reached out to the White House for help regarding potential sanctions against his wife Amal Clooney, who serves as a lawyer and advisor to the International Criminal Court (ICC). He expressed concerns and dissatisfaction over the situation.
According to The Washington Post, George Clooney personally called White House advisor Steve Ricchetti to convey his worries about President Biden’s condemnation of the ICC prosecutor.
An anonymous source mentioned that George Clooney also expressed his discontent with Biden’s comments on arrest warrants and the government’s stance on sanctioning ICC officials.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20th that arrest warrants were being sought for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Amal Clooney released a statement saying she accepted Khan’s invitation to join an expert team for evidence assessment, noting the unity in legal investigation conclusions among team members from diverse backgrounds.
The accusations by the ICC Chief Prosecutor have sparked widespread condemnation from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the United States. President Biden stated in a release, “Regardless of what this prosecutor may suggest, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.” He described the ICC’s actions as “outrageous.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also strongly criticized the ICC’s move, stating that the U.S. rejects the prosecutor’s equation of Israel with Hamas, calling it disgraceful.
On June 4th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a sanctions bill, HR 8282, targeting the ICC. The bill imposes sanctions on individuals involved in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting U.S. and allied personnel. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, “As I said a few weeks ago, the International Criminal Court must be held accountable for this action.”
Reportedly, George Clooney has long been a supporter of the Democratic Party, donating over $500,000 to Biden’s election campaign in 2020 and raising $7 million at fundraising events. He is scheduled to host a fundraising event for Biden in Hollywood on the 15th of this month, with influential figures such as Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts and former President Barack Obama in attendance.
It is currently unclear whether the U.S. Senate will consider this bill, but the White House has previously stated a “strong opposition” to it, pointing out potential sanctions on court staff, judges, witnesses, and limited support for U.S. allies and partners and suggesting there are more effective ways to protect Israel. Given George Clooney’s appointment by Biden to the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities in April 2023, it is unknown if the White House’s position on the sanctions bill is influenced by Clooney’s “complaints” and “discontent.”
George Clooney, a multifaceted figure combining actor, director, writer, producer, and social activist, won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 78th Academy Awards for the film “Syriana” in 2005. The movie “Argo,” produced by him in 2012, won the Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards. In 2015, he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards.
From 1989 to 1993, George Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam. Despite declaring he would never marry again, he announced his engagement to British-Lebanese lawyer Amal Alamuddin on April 28, 2014, and they held a private wedding in Venice, Italy, on September 27 of the same year. In early June 2017, the couple welcomed twins.