US President Donald Trump announced on Monday (Indian time) a new 100 percent tariff on films produced outside the United States, claiming that the American movie industry is “dying a very fast death” and that the situation poses a national security threat.
Trump accused other countries of offering a range of incentives that lure filmmakers and studios away from the US.
“Industry in America is dying a very fast death. Other countries are offering all sorts of movie incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood and many other areas within the USA are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100 per cent tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands. We want movies made in America again,” he added.
While addressing reporters at the White House on Sunday, Trump blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for the decline in Hollywood film production, particularly in recent years. He alleged that other nations are “stealing” America’s moviemaking capabilities.
“If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff when movies come in,” Trump said.
Reports suggest that film production in California has declined due to budget cuts and more generous tax incentives abroad. The American film industry has also faced major economic challenges in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Hollywood labor strikes.
In January, Trump appointed three film stars Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as special ambassadors to promote business opportunities in Hollywood, describing the industry as a “great but very troubled place.”
“They will serve as special envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries, back bigger, better, and stronger than ever before!” he had posted.— IANS
