Fact Check: George Clooney “Very Upset” Over NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Wealth Tax?
Claim:
In August 2026, actor George Clooney was reportedly “very upset” about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wealth tax on second homes, allegedly complaining that “it’s gotten way out of hand.”
Rating:
Originated as Satire
Origin of the Rumor
In August 2026, a viral rumor circulated online claiming that actor George Clooney was furious over a newly implemented “Pied-à-Terre Tax” introduced by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The fictitious narrative gained traction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), sharing a copied-and-pasted text block (known as copypasta) that read:
“George Clooney’s $25+ million penthouse in NYC is technically his ‘second home,’ because whenever he comes to NYC to shoot or direct, he uses this residence—and therefore it falls under Mamdani’s wealth tax.
Mr. Clooney is apparently very upset about Mamdani’s wealth tax. He said in a podcast that he does a lot of charity work and considers himself exempt from the wealth tax, but he still received a letter from the Mamdani government demanding that he pay it.
Mr. Clooney said, ‘I voted for Mamdani to help out the poor and was ready to bear a little communism, but it’s gotten way out of hand.’
The Context
The satirical post arrived amidst real-world tension surrounding Mayor Mamdani’s rollout of the “Pied-à-Terre Tax,” a policy designed to target second homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more. The rollout drew widespread public debate and criticism after the NYC Department of Finance published a preliminary list of potential property owners affected by the tax. The list included high-profile figures such as former Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actor Cynthia Nixon, a known political supporter of Mamdani.
While property records indicate George and Amal Clooney purchased a luxury apartment in Midtown Manhattan in 2016, it remains unverified whether they currently hold active residency for tax purposes under the new legislation.
Investigation
Investigations into the viral quote revealed no evidence that George Clooney ever made such a statement. Major news organizations and wire services—such as Reuters and The Associated Press—have no record of Clooney criticizing Mamdani’s policies or uttering the phrase, “I voted for Mamdani to help out the poor and was ready to bear a little communism, but it’s gotten way out of hand.”
Instead, tracing the text’s digital footprint revealed it originated from a satirical Facebook page called The Satire liners on August 16, 2026. While some users reshared the screenshot without context or clear warning labels, the original post featured a clear disclaimer watermark: “Nothing on this page is real. If you believe anything we post then you’re potato crop.” The page’s biography similarly clarifies that it exclusively publishes satirical and fictitious stories.
Furthermore, the same satirical page has manufactured similar quotes targeting other public figures, such as a fabricated claim that actor Denzel Washington called the mayor “pro-communist.”
Conclusion
The claim that George Clooney criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wealth tax is entirely false. The rumor originated as a satirical post on social media and was subsequently shared out of context.