Teamsters Praise Trump's Tariff on Foreign Film Production

WASHINGTON – An announcement from President Donald Trump has stirred significant discourse within the film industry as he proposes a 100 percent tariff on films produced outside of the United States. This initiative aims to curb outsourcing practices that have long been a point of contention.

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien along with Lindsay Dougherty, Director of the Teamsters Motion Picture Division, expressed their support for this proposed tariff. They have been vocal about the detrimental effects outsourcing has had on the U.S. film industry, particularly in terms of union jobs. "For years, Hollywood studios have hollowed out the industry by following Corporate America’s crooked playbook of outsourcing good union jobs," they said in a statement.

The Teamsters highlight that studios often relocate production to other countries to benefit from lower costs, which they argue undermines the American workforce that has been pivotal to the growth of the motion picture sector. According to O’Brien and Dougherty, "These gigantic corporations line their pockets by recklessly cutting corners, abandoning American crews, and exploiting tax loopholes abroad."

Expressing gratitude for President Trump's stance, they stated, "We thank President Trump for boldly supporting good union jobs when others have turned their heads. This is a strong step toward finally reining in the studios’ un-American addiction to outsourcing our members’ work." The organization emphasizes the importance of reinvesting in domestic film production to foster employment and drive economic benefits locally.

The Teamsters Union, representing 1.3 million members across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, is committed to working with political leaders to develop a trade policy that aids American workers. They encourage bipartisan collaboration, stating, "The Teamsters applaud any elected official — Republican, Democrat, Independent — who’s willing to fight for American workers."

For more information on their initiatives and policies, visit Teamster.org. Follow updates on their advocacy on social media platforms such as Facebook and X @Teamsters.