Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 100% tariff on films made outside the United States could deliver “a knock-out blow” to the UK’s film sector, according to a broadcasting union.
The former president stated that he intends to target foreign-made films as part of his ongoing trade war, aiming to save what he has called the “dying” US movie industry.
Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said he had authorised government departments to impose a 100% tariff “on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands”, calling the matter a “national security threat”.
Responding to the statement, Philippa Childs, head of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU), warned that such a move could seriously harm the UK film sector — which is “only just recovering” from the effects of the pandemic, during which many productions were either postponed or cancelled.
“The UK is a world leader in film and television production, employing thousands of talented workers, and this is a key growth sector in the government’s industrial strategy,” she said.
“These tariffs, coming after COVID and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering and will be deeply worrying news for the tens of thousands of skilled freelancers who make films in the UK.”
Ms Childs urged the British government to “move swiftly to defend this vital sector and support the freelancers who power it as a matter of essential national economic interest.”
It remains unclear how the proposed tariff scheme would affect international co-productions, such as the forthcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which is being filmed in the US as well as other countries.
A large portion of the 2023 box office hit Barbie was filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire — as were Wonka and 2022’s The Batman — while the majority of the James Bond films have been shot at Pinewood Studios in Berkshire.
Kirsty Bell, chief executive of the production company Goldfinch, said that while Mr Trump was “right to address the fact that there’s a decline in the entertainment sector”, foreign films were not the root of the problem.
“The real issue is that films are cheaper to make overseas due to a lack of tax credits in certain regions… unions, lower labour costs, and the fact that production budgets have shrunk over the past two years — all driven by changing viewing habits,” she said.
Ms Bell also noted the shift away from traditional cinema-going, pointing to an industry that has been “entirely changed” by the rise of social media platforms and digital content creators.
“If his goal is to revive the Hollywood industry, tariffs aren’t the answer,” she said. “It’s about building a completely new ecosystem for filmmaking. The structure of the entertainment industry needs seismic change.”
A UK government spokesperson said negotiations on an economic deal with the United States were ongoing but added, “We are not going to provide a running commentary on the details of live discussions or set any timelines, as it is not in the national interest.”
Mr Trump’s latest tariff proposal is part of a broader clampdown on US imports. In a press briefing outside the White House in April, he outlined a 10% baseline tariff on foreign goods, with some rates later increased — including a 145% tariff on imports from China.
US film and television production has suffered numerous setbacks in recent years, from the Hollywood strikes of 2023 and wildfires in the Los Angeles area to the continuing effects of the pandemic.
In 2023, the UK government introduced the Independent Film Tax Credit, which allows qualifying productions with budgets of up to £15 million to receive enhanced tax relief of 53%
