Threat to national security: Trump imposes 100 pc tariff on films produced outside US

Washington, May 5 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Monday (Indian time) announced a new 100 per cent tariff on foreign films, stating that the movie industry in America is "dying a very fast death," which, according to him, is posing a national security threat.

He accused other countries of offering all sorts of incentives and drawing filmmakers and studios away from the US.

"Industry in America is dying a very fast death. Other countries are offering all sorts of the movie incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood and many other areas within the USA are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat," he posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

"It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorising the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100 per cent tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands. We want movies made in America again," the post added.

Addressing reporters at the White House on Sunday, Trump had blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for the decline in film production in Hollywood, specifically over the last several years.

He said that other nations have been "stealing" the movies and moviemaking capabilities from the US.

"If they're not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff when movies come in," Trump added.

Reports suggest that production has declined in California following budget cuts and more generous tax incentives outside. Additionally, the American film industry reportedly suffered a series of economic setbacks in recent years, including the Hollywood labour strikes and the Covid pandemic.

In January, Trump appointed three film stars -- Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone -- as special ambassadors tasked with promoting business opportunities in Hollywood, calling the industry a "great but very troubled place."

Trump said their job is to bring business back to Hollywood, saying that it "has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries."

"They will serve as special envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries, back -- bigger, better and stronger than ever before!" Trump posted during that time.

--IANS

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