Donald Trump has a new target in his sights: films made outside the US.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the former president announced plans to slap a 100% tariff on movies produced abroad.
The detail? Fuzzy at best. No one knows yet if it’ll hit streaming services or only theatrical releases. Or whether he’ll base it on production budgets or box office takings. But the threat is real.
“The movie industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” Trump wrote.
“This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a National Security threat.”
National security… because of films?
🇬🇧 UK film workers brace for impact
Britain’s booming film industry—fresh off the back of post-Covid recovery—is understandably alarmed.
Philippa Childs, head of entertainment union Bectu, called Trump’s comments deeply worrying:
“These tariffs, coming after Covid and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering.”
She warned that freelancers across the UK—many of whom rely on international collaborations—could suffer hugely.
“The UK is a world leader in film and TV production, employing thousands of talented workers,” she said.
“The government must move swiftly to defend this vital sector.”
🧾 What does it even cover?
That’s the million-dollar question. Or perhaps, billion-dollar—if you’re James Cameron.
Would a movie be taxed just because one scene was shot in Paris? What if post-production happened in London but the rest was in LA?
Blockbusters like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning are made across continents. Would they qualify as foreign?
Trump thinks so:
“If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff on movies that come in,” he said.
💰 Does the US box office need help?
Let’s be honest: American films already dominate cinemas. US studios rake in billions each year at home and abroad.
Tariffs are usually used to push consumers towards homegrown goods. But when it comes to cinema, Hollywood is the home team.
So what’s the actual aim here? Economic strategy… or election-year posturing?
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