When Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met George and Amal Clooney at the ImpactCEE'26 conference in Poznań this week, the encounter quickly became a viral moment. Tusk, known for his diplomatic savvy, opened with a self-deprecating line: "My name is Donald. It's not my fault. It wasn't my choice." The Hollywood star, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump, laughed and replied, "It's okay." Amal Clooney, a prominent human rights lawyer, greeted Tusk in Polish, saying "Dzień dobry."
A Meeting of Soft Power and Substance
The exchange was more than a lighthearted icebreaker. It reflected Poland's growing confidence on the European stage under Tusk's leadership. Earlier, Tusk posted a photo with the couple on social media, captioning it: "Amal and George Clooney agree with me that Poland is the best place on Earth." This echoed his conference remarks, where he described Poland as "the fastest growing country in Europe and one of the most ambitious nations on the continent" and "the best place on earth to live and fulfil your dreams."
The Clooneys' presence at ImpactCEE'26, one of Central and Eastern Europe's largest economic and technology conferences, underscored the event's growing international pull. The conference brought together nearly 650 speakers across 26 thematic tracks, including Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk, historian Timothy Snyder, economist Daron Acemoglu, and French scientist Jessie Inchauspé.
Amal Clooney on the Crisis of International Law
Amal Clooney addressed the gathering on the state of international law, a topic of particular resonance given ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. "The system of international law is in crisis today, with world leaders increasingly openly ignoring the law," she said. She described the current period as the most challenging in her legal career, adding: "The system is in crisis when the leadership of the United States is missing."
Her work has included representing victims of Russian aggression against Ukraine and fighting for justice for the Yazidi community. Since 2026, she and her husband have run the Foundation for Justice, which aims to combat systemic injustice in courtrooms worldwide.
Trump vs. Clooney: A Long-Running Feud
The Tusk-Clooney interaction also highlighted the ongoing tension between Clooney and Donald Trump. The actor has been a persistent critic of Trump's politics and governing style, a relationship that soured long before Trump entered the White House. On New Year's Eve, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to attack Clooney, writing: "Clooney gained more fame through politics than through his few and utterly mediocre films. He wasn't a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who constantly complained about the lack of common sense in politics. Let's make America great again!"
The Clooneys have made France their primary residence, partly due to their emotional ties to the country, and are among a number of celebrities who have left or expressed a desire to leave the United States since Trump regained power.
Poland's Strategic Positioning
Tusk's ability to charm a Hollywood A-lister while advancing Poland's narrative as a dynamic European hub is part of a broader strategy to boost the country's international standing. This comes amid shifting security dynamics, including the recent US scrapping of a 4,000-troop deployment to Poland as part of a broader NATO drawdown. The conference in Poznań, a city in western Poland, served as a platform for Tusk to project optimism about Poland's economic trajectory and its role in the European Union.
The ImpactCEE conference has become a key fixture in the region, attracting leaders from business, politics, science, and culture. This year's edition featured discussions on technology, energy, and security, with a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe's potential. The Clooneys' participation added a layer of global celebrity, but the substance of the event remained firmly rooted in the region's ambitions.
