Teamsters President Sean M. O’Brien and film director Lindsay Dorgerty expressed their approval of President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose 100% tariffs on movies made overseas.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “The American film industry is dying very fast.” He cautioned that “other countries offer incentives that lure our filmmakers and studios away from the United States.”
He added that the plans for tariffs are in motion and he has authorized the Commerce Department along with U.S. trade representatives to act on this issue.
Two representatives from the Teamsters Union highlighted in a statement, “For years, Hollywood studios have undermined our industry by outsourcing work that should go to American union members.”
“These large companies are profiting by cutting corners, abandoning American crews, and taking advantage of tax loopholes abroad,” the statement continued. “It’s a chaotic situation while these businesses have moved overseas, and we at the Teamsters have been warning about this for years.”
The statement also contained a direct expression of gratitude towards Trump, saying, “Thank you, President Trump, for your strong support of union jobs when many others look the other way. This is a significant move towards curbing the tendency of studios to outsource.”
The union emphasized its readiness to commend representatives from all political parties who support this agenda.
“Teamsters are ready to appreciate officials from both the Republican and Democratic sides,” they stated. “We are eager to collaborate with the administration on a trade agenda that benefits our members and workers in the American film and television sectors.”
“Now is the time to bring filmmaking back to America and create quality jobs here.”
On Tuesday, O’Brien discussed the union’s support for Trump on Fox News, reiterating that America has the most creative workforce, while critiquing Hollywood leaders for their focus on profits over creativity.
During the interview, when Fox News host John Roberts asked him about the Democratic opposition to Trump, O’Brien suggested that Democrats tend to dismiss anything associated with the president.
“I think I’ve mentioned this before; whether it’s beneficial for the country or not, they often oppose it simply because it’s Trump’s name on it,” O’Brien remarked about the Democrats. “We want to move past these differences.”
“Our goal is to revive manufacturing in this country. We aim to create jobs that provide people with good career paths. Not everyone can attend a four-year university, but we can bring back manufacturing jobs that allow people to live a middle-class life.”
