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Former President Donald Trump has reiterated his threat to impose a 100% tariff on all films not produced within the United States, alleging that the American film industry has been “stolen” by foreign nations.
In a statement made on Monday, Trump asserted that California has been disproportionately affected and that the proposed levy would “solve this long time, never ending problem.”
Back in May, the former president indicated his intention to engage with Hollywood executives to discuss the tariff plan, citing a purported “very fast death” of America’s film industry.
Trump’s remarks follow his recent announcement of a new series of tariffs, which includes a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports, as well as 50% levies on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.'”
He further added, “California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!”
He clarified that the proposed 100% tariff would apply “on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States.”
The implementation date of the tariff remains unspecified. The White House has been contacted for comment.
It remains unclear whether these tariffs would extend to films available on streaming services such as Netflix, in addition to those shown in cinemas, and the methodology for calculating the levy.
Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at AJ Bell, questioned the practicality of such a tax, noting that tariffs are typically applied to goods. He also pointed out that many filmmakers are opting to shoot films in other countries due to more favorable incentive programs.
“The threat of 100% tariffs on movies made outside of the US raises more questions than it does answers,” Coatsworth stated.
“Filmmakers have been progressively lured by tax incentives that come from shooting movies in other parts of the world, and the Los Angeles film industry has lost its glitz and glamour.”
Coatsworth highlighted the difficulty in defining an American-made movie if a film were to be shot in the US but involve foreign actors, directors, or funding.
“So it’s hard to understand just how Trump intends to impose the levy,” he said.
“Theoretically, being forced to produce movies in the US could push up their costs.”
“Content makers would pass on this cost to the customer and that could hurt demand for streaming companies and cinema operators.”
He added that investors do not “appear to see this as a serious threat” currently. Stocks for companies like Netflix and Disney experienced a brief dip before rebounding.
Several recent major films produced by US studios were filmed outside of America, including Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked, and Gladiator II.
Despite these challenges, the US remains a significant film production hub globally, according to movie industry research firm ProdPro.
Its annual report indicated that the country saw $14.54 billion (£10.94 billion) in production spending last year, a 26% decrease since 2022.
Countries that have experienced an increase in spending since 2022 include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.
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