Trump considering 100% tariffs on movies not made in the US
Donald Trump says he will talk to Hollywood executives, after his earlier announcement to hit films made in foreign countries with 100% tariffs sent shockwaves through the industry.
The US president said on Sunday he was authorising the commerce department to start the process to impose the levy because America's film industry was dying "a very fast death".
But he appeared to soften his stance later on Monday, telling reporters at the White House he was going to "meet with the industry" to "make sure they're happy" with his proposal.
For years, filmmakers have been leaving Hollywood for destinations including the UK and Canada to lower costs.
One non-US union said the tariff plan would be a "knock-out blow" to the international industry.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform: "It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!"
"WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!"
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded to the announcement, saying "We're on it".
But the details are unclear. Trump's statement did not say whether the tariff would apply to American production companies producing films abroad.
White House spokesman Kush Desai told the BBC: "Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the istration 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."
Several recent major films produced by US studios were shot outside of America, including Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked and Gladiator II.
It was also unclear if the tariffs would apply to films on streaming services, such as Netflix, as well as those shown at cinemas, or how they would be calculated.
The founder of European cinema chain Vue, Timothy Richards, questioned how Trump would define a US film.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "Is it where the money comes from? The script, the director, the talent, where it was shot">US President Donald Trump has imposed a blanket 10% levy on most goods from trading partners around the world.
