Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign films face industry backlash
The American film and financial industries reacted with disbelief to President Donald Trump's announcement of imposing 100% tariffs on films produced outside the United States. Trump's goal is to "make Hollywood great again."
According to CNN reports, many directors of film studios and streaming platforms expressed their outrage. They believe that the president did not consider the consequences of his proposal, which could negatively impact the iconic industry.
"On first blush, it’s shocking and would represent a virtually complete halt of production. But in reality, he has no jurisdiction to do this and it’s too complex to enforce," noted an anonymous industry representative in an interview with CNN.
Other sources suggest that Trump is trying to initiate a debate on a real issue of "unchecked production" abroad, which has deprived many American filmmakers and television specialists of jobs.
"In its current form, the tariff doesn’t make sense," stated Jay Sures, Vice Chairman of United Talent Agency, in an interview with CNN.
"American actors and directors would generally prefer to work close to home. But the fact is it’s cheaper for Hollywood studios to pay for everyone to get on planes, pay for hotels, because the cost of labor, lack of rebates, and the ability to make things overseas is infinitely cheaper," explained Sures.
In his opinion, the implementation of tariffs could paralyze the film industry, which is already in a challenging situation after a series of strikes and a decline in production.
The Trump administration analyzes all options
On Monday at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, White House spokesperson Kush Desai explained that while final decisions regarding tariffs on foreign film productions have not yet been made, the administration is analyzing all possible options. The goal is to fulfill President Trump’s directive focused on protecting the national and economic security of the United States, while also aiming to revitalize and strengthen the Hollywood film industry.
Industry sources expressed doubts in conversations with CNN about the feasibility of implementing the plan. Films, as intellectual property, are a service, not a commodity, and services are usually not subject to tariffs. Furthermore, Trump's assertion that foreign film production poses a "national security threat" may not withstand legal scrutiny.
