President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Monday that he would meet with representatives from the U.S. film business to discuss his plan to impose 100% tariffs on foreign-made films.
“I’m not looking to hurt the industry; I want to help the industry,” he said.
“We’re going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure they’re happy with it, because we’re all about jobs,” he said at the Oval Office, according to CNBC.
On Sunday evening, Trump posted a bold statement on Truth Social proposing plans to levy a 100% tariff on films made outside the U.S. There was no indication of whether it would also apply to TV production or to films made by international producers.
“Hollywood doesn’t do very much of that business. They have the nice sign and everything’s good, but they don’t do very much,” Trump told reporters Monday.
Earlier on Monday, the White House said that no final decision had been made on the tariffs but it was “exploring all options.”
“Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump’s directive to safeguard our country’s national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.
Jon Voight, one of three Hollywood emissaries Trump has named as advisors, met with the President at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend to discuss how to help the film business. The discussion included talk of film incentives, but not of tariffs, CNN reported.
Also on Monday, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement saying, “Governor Newsom continues to champion California’s iconic film and television industry — recognizing it as a cornerstone of the state’s economy, one that sustains hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs across every sector around the state. His plan to more than double the state’s film and television tax credit reflects a commitment to keeping production here at home, supporting workers and maintaining California’s global leadership in entertainment.
“If the President announces a proposal with more details, we will review it,” the Newsom statement concluded.
California senator Adam Schiff said in a statement, “I share the administration’s desire to bring movie making back to the United States. While blanket tariffs on all films would have unintended and potentially damaging impacts, we have an opportunity to work together to pass a major federal film tax credit to re-shore American jobs in the industry. I welcome the opportunity to work with the administration and my Republican colleagues to pass a globally competitive federal film incentive to bring back runaway production.”
Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland also issued a statement, “SAG-AFTRA supports efforts to increase movie, television and streaming production in the United States. We will continue to advocate for policies that strengthen our competitive position, accelerate economic growth and create good middle class jobs for American workers.
“We look forward to learning more about the specifics of the plan announced by the President and to advancing a dialogue to achieve our common goals.”
From Variety US