The film tariff farce is Trump’s latest bizarre move to distract from his bribery racket getting exposed and investigated. President Trump recently proclaimed there would be 100% tariffs on foreign films, a policy that seems almost too absurd to be taken seriously. While much has been made of his rhetoric on the subject, the real issue here isn’t just the incoherence of the deal – it’s the fact that such a policy is ultimately unenforceable. It’s a distraction tactic, pure and simple, meant to redirect attention from more nefarious dealings, impeachment inquiries, and the recognition of his pattern of self-dealing and corruption under the guise of “emergencies.”
Why the Foreign Film Tariffs Are Incoherent
One of the most glaring issues with the proposed tariffs is the fundamental misunderstanding of what constitutes the “cost” of a foreign film. This is something most people don’t think much about. The cost of a film is not a cut & dry thing. The labor can be located in multiple places, being financed by various sub-contractors, in various agreements, with compensation paid at different intervals.
Star talent and marketing are some of the largest single line items, compared to physical goods like other tariffed items. Where the film company is located may be where it is technically being made – on paper – which is another story entirely. Tax credits play a role in financing, and those are certainly not meant to be taxed by another country.
It makes no sense.
Distraction Games Hide Corruption
While the film industry does face challenges – especially with labor wage suppression justified by the rise of AI technologies and the dominance of mega-corporations like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix – Trump’s sudden focus on foreign film imports is more about creating chaos than addressing real issues. The tariffs may serve as a distraction while Trump continues to line his pockets through duties paid at ports, cryptocurrency scams, and whatever other shadow banking methods he employs to evade scrutiny.
This policy also coincides with Trump’s broader efforts to centralize media under his own control. By attacking Hollywood, dismantling critical press institutions, and owning publicly traded company that is a media platform, Trump is consolidating his power and diminishing free speech. This is not just about trade – it’s about power, control, and the further destruction of the democratic ideals the United States once championed. Let’s take this time to understand just how inflated GDP numbers are across the board globally. The film industry is a complex example.
The Film Industry Is A Globalist Phenomenon Now
The international TV and film industry is massive – estimated $2.8 trillion globally, with the U.S. segment valued at $92 billion. These figures are very misleading. The GDP figures used to measure industry often misrepresent the true economic impact because they fail to capture the full scope of money spent or earned in the production, distribution, and consumption of films. Those values at each stage of acquisition and sale from the investors to the producers to the distributors to the consumers, all is generally considered part of GDP. That means the same project is being counted multiple times. That is misleading if you’re thinking in terms of tariff revenue.
The amount of that $2.8 trillion which could be taxed by the United States federal government is not only minuscule by comparison to other things, but it’s a fool’s errand to try to even figure out. A wild goose chase. Bullshit, in other words. Trump is not saying this because he’s stupid. He is saying this because the media and public are stupid. They will follow him down every little wiggle or wave he makes.
Who Would Do Business With US Now?
Something that hasn’t been said yet, about all this tariff tumult, is at the end of the day after deals are done? Nobody has to do business with us anymore. An international boycott is a possibility. Imagine it. Trump is being more belligerent than ever before and everybody including China, Europe, Mexico, and Japan are essentially planning financial war against Trump and therefore all Americans.
Once trade deals are signed and tariffs are agreed upon, nations could drastically cut their purchases of U.S. goods instead of doing business.
This entire thing is blowing up in Trump’s face because it was never about doing good for the American people. It was always about distracting the world while he robbed as many people all over the globe as possible.
But people are waking up, everywhere.
However, it is going to take a monumental feat to unseat Donald Trump as America’s Dealmaker in Chief, because frankly, due to all of his thievery and corruption – he sucks at it.
