TRUMP’S FOREIGN FILM TARIFFS PLAN STIRS CONFUSION AND CRITICISM IN HOLLYWOOD
Hollywood responded with alarm on Monday may 5th after former President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on all foreign-made films. Trump, writing on Truth Social, claimed the move would help “Make Movies in America Again,” directing the Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative to begin implementation.
Industry experts, however, dismissed the plan as impractical and damaging. Entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel said the idea ignored how films are made, especially those that require foreign locations for storytelling. “What are we supposed to do, shoot at the replica Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas?” he asked, citing the “Mission Impossible” and James Bond franchises.
Stock prices of entertainment companies dipped as uncertainty spread. SAG-AFTRA and other guilds said they welcomed more domestic film production but awaited clarification. California Governor Gavin Newsom urged federal cooperation on boosting local production incentives, writing, “Make America Film Again.”
Industry insiders expressed skepticism in anonymous quotes to trade outlets like Deadline, with one executive warning tariffs would “choke the remaining life out of the business.” Analysts noted that most American studios film abroad to access generous tax breaks, such as those offered by the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Despite the backlash, the Trump camp doubled down. “We’re safeguarding national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,” a White House statement read. Trump later claimed he wasn’t trying to hurt the industry, but blamed other nations and “incompetence” for its decline.
