As the Trump administration’s tariffs wreak havoc on Hollywood and other industries, at least one blockbuster franchise is off the hook.
While discussing a new U.K. trade deal on Thursday in the Oval Office, President Trump attempted a Sean Connery impression and assured that “James Bond has nothing to worry about” with his planned 100% tariffs on foreign-made films.
“As you know, we’re putting tariffs on that particular—film … the moviemakers,” he said in a clip from the press conference. “And we’re going to be doing some tariffs to get them, because a lot of them have left this country. They all live here, the money comes from here, everything comes from here, but they make them in other countries. So, we’re gonna do something to bring them back, maybe to a large extent.”
Trump added, “But James Bond has nothing to worry about, that I can tell you. And you know, Sean Connery was a friend of mine. Sean Connery was responsible for my getting zoning in Aberdeen. He said, Let the bloody bloke build his golf courses.’ I was like four years into the process, and it was impossible in Aberdeen … He was a great guy, Sean Connery.”
Last weekend, Trump called runaway productions a “national security threat” and announced plans to put 100% tariffs on imports of movies produced in “foreign lands.”
During Thursday’s presser, Trump said he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have struck an economic agreement that will relieve the UK from tariffs on goods including steel and cars, but Trump made clear that his film tariffs remain on the table and will be discussed separately.
Trump’s plans come amid the new 007 partnership between Amazon MGM Studios and returning producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
After announcing that Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the next film in the franchise, Amazon MGM’s Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll said at CinemaCon in April that the pair of “filmmaking legends” is currently in London working on the film.
“We are committed to honoring the legacy of this iconic character, while bringing a fresh, exhilarating new chapter to audiences around the world alongside Amy and David,” said Valenti, head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical. “They are both in London getting started and couldn’t be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know will be an incredible partnership. Thank you, Amy and David!”
