Trump vs. Amal Clooney? Why George Clooney’s Wife Could Be Barred from the US

Amal Clooney, a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer and wife of actor George Clooney, is reportedly at risk of being barred from entering the United States due to her role in advising the International Criminal Court (ICC) on potential war crimes charges against Israeli leaders.
According to reports, while former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order specifically naming ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan for seeking arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the UK Foreign Office has warned that other human rights barristers—including Amal Clooney—could also face sanctions from the Trump administration.

Other legal figures potentially facing similar action include Lord Justice Adrian Fulford, a former senior British judge, Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws, and Danny Friedman, a barrister at Matrix Chambers.

Following the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, Trump responded by imposing sanctions on the court. These included financial penalties and visa restrictions targeting ICC officials, employees, and their immediate family members.

Amal Clooney is reported to have advised the ICC on whether sufficient evidence existed to pursue charges. A graduate of Oxford and New York University, she has built a distinguished career in international law, representing high-profile clients such as Julian Assange, Nadia Murad, and Mohamed Nasheed.

She also co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice with her husband and currently holds academic positions at both Columbia Law School and the University of Oxford.