Will Trump’s Movie Tariff Help American Values Win?

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President Trump has been busy rolling out the tariffs as part of his strategy to make America great again. Perhaps the most unique choice for a tariff has been the movie industry. 

Last week, he wrote on his Truth Social page, “Our movie-making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’ California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long-time, never-ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT”

Back in May, Trump posted a similar announcement on his Truth Social page: “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood and many other areas within the U.S.A. are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”

How to Enforce the Tariff Is Something of a Mystery

How he would go about placing a tariff on foreign movies has become quite the mystery. All other tariffs that he has levied have been on goods. In fact, no president has ever attempted to levy a tariff on a service, and movies are considered a service. Trump has been in discussions with Hollywood actor and advisor Jon Voight about placing a tariff on films made outside of the United States. So this may very well set a precedent for how that could be done in the future, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. 

In a general explanation about how such a tariff could be enforced, The Economic Times reported that Trump would authorize various U.S. agencies, including the Department of Commerce, to uphold the tariff. The purpose of such a tariff, according to the Trump administration, is to protect American filmmakers, boost local jobs, and secure America’s creative dominance. 

Filmmakers Leaving California and Embracing Georgia 

While the film industry in California seems to be suffering because of how expensive the cost of living and filmmaking have become, Atlanta, Georgia, has been taking off as an alternative spot for filmmakers. Many Georgia filmmakers and residents believe the tariff will benefit filmmaking in Georgia.

Films that were shot there, such as Spider-Man and The Avengers, caused the community in which they were shot to grow and opened the door for new businesses. New coffee shops, restaurants, and apartments were built in order to accommodate the influx of more full-time workers, according to WRDW/WAGT.

While the film industry in Georgia took a hit during COVID, just like the film industry in many other areas, Georgia is making a comeback.

Hollywood South Productions film producer Eddie Matthews believes that, “If Trump’s tariffs kick in, it’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to be booming.”

Photo Credit: Erik Witsoe/Unsplash

Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.