LONDON — Britain is taking a “calm and steady approach” after Donald Trump promised to slap tariffs on foreign-produced movies, the U.K. government said Wednesday.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Culture Minister Chris Bryant made clear that the U.K. — home to a multi-billion dollar movie industry — does not yet know what Trump is proposing, but said the government is in “active discussions” with the U.S. administration to protect the industry.
“This is a very fluid situation,” Bryant told MPs. “We will continue to take a calm and steady approach.”
The U.S. president caught the global film industry off guard Sunday as he pledged to slap a 100 percent “tariff” on movies “produced in Foreign Lands.” Britain — home to the famous Pinewood Studios which has hosted blockbuster U.S. franchises like Star Wars — would be particularly hard hit by any potential Trump clampdown.
“I’m not sure precisely what is intended,” said Bryant of Trump’s idea. “I don’t know what a tariff on a service would look like. I don’t know whether it’s intended that that will be on movie theaters.”
Bryant met U.S. and U.K. filmmakers Monday and said he would hold talks with industry leaders Thursday afternoon to try and hear out their concerns.
Speaking earlier in the House of Commons, Ed Davey, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, warned Trump: “If he picks a fight with James Bond, Bridget Jones and Paddington Bear, he will lose.”
His colleague Max Wilkinson, Lib Dem culture spokesperson, said: “Donald Trump clearly thinks he’s a god-like figure, but on the Lib Dem benches, we’re very clear he’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy.”
Bryant urged spooked parliamentarians to remain calm. “I was once told by a film producer: never judge a film by the first 10 minutes,” he said. “I think we can say the same of this.”
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