Experts claim Trump's tariff strategy may 'kill' the US film industry
US President Donald Trump's suggestion of a 100 percent tariff on films produced outside the United States has alarmed the entertainment industry, with experts cautioning that the policy could severely harm American cinema. William Reinsch,...
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US President Donald Trump's suggestion of a 100 percent tariff on films produced outside the United States has alarmed the entertainment industry, with experts cautioning that the policy could severely harm American cinema.
William Reinsch, a former US Commerce Department official, expressed to Reuters that the tariff could "kill" the American movie industry. He emphasized, "We have a lot more to lose than to gain," as he highlighted his role as a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Scott Roxborough, Europe bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter, noted that instead of encouraging more film production in the US, the most probable outcome would be a significant decrease in the overall number of films produced. He stated, "The most likely consequence is not that more productions will be done outside of America, or more productions would be done in America, but probably that just fewer productions will [be made]."
NPR film critic Eric Deggans warned that the tariff policy might provoke retaliatory tariffs from other nations, thereby putting American studios at a competitive disadvantage in international markets. He remarked to the BBC, "It may create a situation where the tariffs in America are causing more harm than good," and pointed out that other countries could respond by imposing tariffs on American films, which would make it "harder for these films to make profits overseas."
A report from the US Motion Picture Association highlighted the potential repercussions: the US is a net exporter of film and television content, with the industry generating $230 billion in total sales in 2023 while supporting over 2.3 million jobs. Experts worry that protectionist measures like Trump's proposed tariffs could undermine this success.
Anthony Moretti, an associate professor at Robert Morris University, argued that this approach could lead to cultural and economic isolation for the US. In an opinion piece for CN, he stated, "Imposing tariffs or other barriers on foreign films will not benefit the US movie industry," adding that such decisions risk turning the country into "an isolated cultural island."
The financial impact could be considerable, with investment bank Citi warning that, under a worst-case scenario, Netflix could face a 20 percent decrease in its earnings per share and an annual increase of $3 billion in costs, as reported by TheWrap.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
William Reinsch, a former US Commerce Department official, expressed to Reuters that the tariff could "kill" the American movie industry. He emphasized, "We have a lot more to lose than to gain," as he highlighted his role as a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Scott Roxborough, Europe bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter, noted that instead of encouraging more film production in the US, the most probable outcome would be a significant decrease in the overall number of films produced. He stated, "The most likely consequence is not that more productions will be done outside of America, or more productions would be done in America, but probably that just fewer productions will [be made]."
NPR film critic Eric Deggans warned that the tariff policy might provoke retaliatory tariffs from other nations, thereby putting American studios at a competitive disadvantage in international markets. He remarked to the BBC, "It may create a situation where the tariffs in America are causing more harm than good," and pointed out that other countries could respond by imposing tariffs on American films, which would make it "harder for these films to make profits overseas."
A report from the US Motion Picture Association highlighted the potential repercussions: the US is a net exporter of film and television content, with the industry generating $230 billion in total sales in 2023 while supporting over 2.3 million jobs. Experts worry that protectionist measures like Trump's proposed tariffs could undermine this success.
Anthony Moretti, an associate professor at Robert Morris University, argued that this approach could lead to cultural and economic isolation for the US. In an opinion piece for CN, he stated, "Imposing tariffs or other barriers on foreign films will not benefit the US movie industry," adding that such decisions risk turning the country into "an isolated cultural island."
The financial impact could be considerable, with investment bank Citi warning that, under a worst-case scenario, Netflix could face a 20 percent decrease in its earnings per share and an annual increase of $3 billion in costs, as reported by TheWrap.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
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