Donald Trump warns US will impose 100% tariff on 'all and any' films made outside America
The US president said the American movie-making business has been stolen by other countries 'like candy from a baby'
Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariff on all films made outside the US.
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The US president said in a post on his Truth Social network the tariff will be imposed “on any and all movies” as the US film-making business has been “stolen” by other countries.
He branded this a “long-time, never-ending problem” which has hit the state of California the hardest.
Mr Trump did not specify when or how the tariff could be imposed.
It would mark the first time he has slapped a tariff on a service rather than a raw good if he follows through.
The full post on Truth Social read: “Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing “candy from a baby.” California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!
“Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT”
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Mr Trump has previously claimed such a move would defend the American film industry which he described as “dying a very fast death”.
In May, he vowed to make "movies made in America again", claiming other countries are “offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States.”
“Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A, are being devastated,” he added in another post on Truth Social.
The full post in May read: “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. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated.
"This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat.
"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% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.
"WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!"
It is common for both large and smaller films to include production in both the US and other countries.
Big-budget movies like the recent Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning film, for instance, are shot around the world.
Incentive programmes for years have influenced where movies are shot, increasingly driving film production out of California and to other states and countries with favourable tax incentives, like Canada and the United Kingdom.
Tariffs are designed to lead consumers toward American products, and American-produced movies overwhelmingly dominate the domestic marketplace.