President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies imported to the U.S., citing national security concerns and the erosion of Hollywood’s economic base due to overseas financial incentives. He criticized foreign films as “messaging and propaganda” that threaten American filmmaking, stating that “Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated.” Trump’s directive to the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative aims to protect the domestic film industry, which has experienced declines linked to labor strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a White House press event, he blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for the shrinking film production in the state. Trump’s assertion reflects broader trends in the industry, where production has moved to locations offering better tax incentives, like New York, Georgia, the UK, and Canada. A recent report noted lower soundstage occupancy in Los Angeles despite a slight 18.8% increase in feature film production last year, which still falls short of the five-year average.
In January, Trump appointed Hollywood figures like Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as ambassadors to help revive American film production. Voight’s management suggested they had plans to present ideas to Trump, but no further details emerged about the meeting. Meanwhile, China has imposed tariffs on Hollywood films in a move that is not expected to significantly impact the U.S. film industry. The announcement has drawn mixed responses, with no comments from the Motion Picture Association or other industry groups as of yet.
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