Donald Trump to hit UK film industry with 100% tariff in bid ‘to save Hollywood’

He claimed that foreign-made films are a "national security threat".

He announced that he was authorising the US Department of Commerce and Trade Representative to start the process of these tariffs due to America's film industry "dying a very fast death".

Trump blamed other nations for attracting Hollywood directors and studios with incentives to make their movies on foreign soil.

He labelled this a "national security threat".

Describing the situation on his Truth Social platform, he said: "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."

He added: "It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!

"WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!"

The cost of shooting films in Hollywood has risen drastically in recent years, which has led to studios filming in other countries.

Recent blockbuster hits like Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked and Gladiator II were all shot outside of the USA.

It has yet to be explained whether these tariffs would be imposed on films made on streaming services, as well as those shown at cinemas.

Speaking to the BBC, the founder of European cinema chain Vue, Timothy Richards, questioned how an American film would be defined.

He said: "Is it where the money comes from? The script, the director, the talent, where it was shot?"

Richards added that it is not just the rise in cost that has led to Hollywood productions being shot in the UK and elsewhere, it is also the standard of work that can be found abroad is so high.

He added: "But it's not just the actual financing itself.

"One of reasons UK has done so well is we have some of the most highly experienced and skilled film and production crew in the world.

"The devil will be in the details."