Technologies

Trump Calls for 100% Tariff on Foreign Movies, With Hollywood Seeking Answers

It’s not just hard goods like cars and smartphones. Tariffs could become a factor in the costs of making and watching movies.

Movies are a new focal point for the Trump administration’s campaign to impose tariffs across a wide range of industries, from tech to textiles and beyond.

In a Sunday night social media post, President Donald Trump said the US movie industry «is DYING a very fast death.» He wrote that he’s authorizing a 100% tariff «on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.»

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick quoted the president and responded, «We’re on it.»

Trump’s latest tariff call to action raised a host of questions without much direction on where the answers might lie. What criteria define how a movie is produced overseas? Would the tariffs affect only future releases or would they also apply to films already in the market, like the the wildly successful A Minecraft Movie, which was mostly shot in New Zealand? US film studios often shoot overseas with the help of incentives from countries. The tariffs almost certainly would affect foreign-made films such as the Oscar-winning animated film Flow from Latvia.

From the Los Angeles set of a Toyota commercial, director and Tulsa King actor James Quattrochi told CNET that his phone began to blow up last night on the Trump news. «Everyone’s calling me and I go, ‘I’m not the White House, why are you asking me?'»

As pointed out by The Hollywood Reporter and others, it’s unclear how streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu would be affected, such as the potential impact on subscriber fees and the kinds of content that those services offer. And what about TV shows? Among the top hits on Netflix alone are Squid Game, from South Korea, and The Crown, from the UK.

Trump contended in his social media post that foreign tax incentives for movie production amount to «a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat,» which allows him to levy tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. That claim would be open to legal challenge.

It’s also unclear if film tariffs would be considered legal in light of Section 1702 of the US Code, which explicitly prohibits a president from regulating imports and exports of films, publications and other media.

Filmmakers weigh in

The entertainment industry is grappling with what the tariff initiative, if implemented, could mean. In one estimate from The Wrap, an expert suggested it could cost Netflix $3 billion a year and cut 20% from its earnings.

Meanwhile, some independent filmmakers and workers noted that their industries have struggled to keep film productions in the US and that tariffs might spur reconsideration of film towns such as Los Angeles, Austin and Atlanta.

Quattrochi, who is in three film-related unions, said it’s been difficult to push for incentives in California and to keep costs down.

«It’s just so expensive. And we’re fighting. … The UK, Ireland, Canada and other countries are really getting a lot of work,» he said. If tariffs against foreign film production do happen, he said, it could be enough to keep work in places like Hollywood. «People are complaining that there’s no work because everything’s leaving the country.»

Talk of a foreign movie tariff, he said, could raise awareness of the film industry’s struggle to keep it local. «Hopefully this open’s everybody’s eyes that the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles, is no longer. We need to do something.»

Filmmaker David Wortham Brooks owns a production company that Disney bought in 2019 and sold back to him in 2023. He said he’s still weighing the implications the potential tariffs will have on foreign films and licensing.

Brooks has worked on films in Morocco, Bangladesh and England, but has been based in Los Angeles primarily. As far as keeping shooting in the US, he says he favors Trump’s idea.

«Anything that could bring production back to LA, I’m all for it,» Brooks said. «The proposition of bringing it back to the states, particularly back to Hollywood, is very appealing to me. It has been slow; everything that can be done to mobilize the workforce, it is welcome in my book.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im