Trump orders 100% tariff on foreign-made movies
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Donald Trump, as himself, in the 1989 movie "Ghosts Can't Do it." Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
President Trump on Sunday said he would order officials to start the process of imposing 100% tariffs on any movie produced outside the U.S.
Why it matters: Trump's trade war has thus far been mostly about industry, like steel, aluminum and cars.
- Escalating to intellectual property, in a world where it's common for productions to shoot in multiple countries, threatens to create deep complications for industries that don't usually have to concern themselves with international trade policy.
What they're saying: "The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
- "This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!"
- Trump said he'd direct the secretary of commerce and the U.S. trade representative to implement the tariff on "any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands."
White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Axios in an emailed statement Monday that although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, "the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive to safeguard our country's national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again."
Yes, but: It's wasn't immediately clear how, in practical terms, such a tariff would even work, where it would be applied, or what it would be charged against.
- Also unclear: Whether this would apply only to theatrical releases or include streaming; and how (if at all) the tariff would distinguish between a movie and a TV show.
- Representatives for the Commerce Department did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment Sunday evening.
Zoom out: As Hollywood blockbusters have gotten more expensive, producers have increasingly opted for lower-cost production locales outside the U.S..
- The New York Times reported last month that the industry has lost more than 18,000 jobs domestically in the last three years.
Editor's note: The story has been updated with comment from the White House.
