Trump imposes a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States. Trump wrote today (May 5, Beijing Time): "The American film industry is rapidly declining. Other countries are offering various incentives to attract our filmmakers and studios to leave the United States. Hollywood and many other areas within the U.S. are suffering heavily. This is a conspiracy by other countries and thus constitutes a national security threat. Moreover, this is a form of messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I authorize the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately initiate procedures to impose a 100% tariff on all movies produced abroad and entering our country. We want to have American-made movies again!"

[Wit] Comments: According to Trump's logic, movies like The Lord of the Rings will now face 100% import tariffs. The United States is the world's largest exporter of films, and the influence of Hollywood is evident globally. However, Trump's decision seems to be more based on one-sided assumptions and emotional expressions. He attributes the outflow of the film industry to a "conspiracy" by other countries and elevates it to the level of a "national security threat," which is somewhat far-fetched. The flow of the film industry is a natural phenomenon under globalization. Countries attract film production through preferential policies, which is a normal competitive behavior. As a giant in the film industry, the U.S. has always enjoyed the dividends of the global market. Trump's attempt to "protect" the American film industry through tariff measures may backfire, not only harming cultural exchanges between the U.S. and other countries but also potentially triggering trade frictions, ultimately affecting the global layout of its own film industry.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831239320789139/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.