It has been a typically chaotic day in the White House, with US President Donald Trump making unexpected policy announcements on social media and sparking alarm about another war
Donald Trump’s chaotic Presidency is showing no sign of settling down after another madcap day.
The erratic Republican delivered a hammer blow to the worldwide film industry by announcing an unexpected 100% tariff on movies made overseas. And in another unexpected move he announced that infamous prison Alcatraz should be reopened after more than 60 years.
Trump yet again caught policymakers offguard by announcing his ideas in capital letters on social media. He claimed that movies made overseas were a “national security threat” in a move that could impact popular film franchises around the world.
The President also sparked fresh fears that he could invade Greenland – a Danish territory in Europe – after saying the US needs the island “very badly”. Elsewhere his Vice President, JD Vance, waded into the row about Trump’s offensive AI-generate Pope picture – brushing it off as a joke.
And he also found time to flounder when asked if he should be upholding the rule of law. Here we look at a typically chaotic day in the White House.
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Tariff on overseas movies
The US President took to social media to announce a policy which threw industry insiders off guard.
He declared that films made overseas were a “national security threat” and said he wanted to boost Hollywood. But his decision to put a 100% tariff on international films sparked warnings of a “knock-out blow”.
Trump accused other countries of using taxpayer-funded incentives to lure away American film productions. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” he wrote. “It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!”
Philippa Childs, head of UK media and entertainment union Bectu, said: “These tariffs, coming after Covid and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering and will be really worrying news for tens of thousands of skilled freelancers who make films in the UK
“The government must move swiftly to defend this vital sector, and support the freelancers who power it, as a matter of essential national economic interest.”
And Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee said: “Making it more difficult to make films in the UK is not in the interests of American businesses. Their investment in facilities and talent in the UK, based on US-owned IP, is showing fantastic returns on both sides of the Atlantic. Ministers must urgently prioritise this as part of the trade negotiations currently underway.”#
Reopening Alcatraz prison
Trump has ordered his government to re-open and expand the notorious Alcatraz prison, saying it would house “the most ruthless and violent offenders”.
In a message posted to his Truth Social site on Sunday, Trump said: “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ! For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering.” The US President added that America was once a serious nation that did not hesitate to “lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.”
Leading Democrats have branded the proposal as unserious. The infamous maximum-security prison – known as The Rock – was shut down in 1963 and now operates as a successful tourist attraction on an island near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Fresh fears of Greenland invasion
Trump has yet again refused to rule out military action against Greenland as his outrageous campaign against a NATO ally continues.
The US President claimed the US needs the island – which is a self-governing territory in Denmark – “very badly”. He has repeatedly threatened to take it, sparking widespread condemnation and accusations of acting like a bully.
Greenland is strategically important for defence and is rich in minerals. During an interview with NBC’s Meet The Press, he was asked if he would use force to invade the territory.
He replied: “I don’t rule it out. I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything. No, not there. We need Greenland very badly.
“Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security,” Trump said.
Vance defends offensive Pope image
The US President sparked outrage last week when he posted a bizarre AI-generated image of himself wearing the Pope’s robes.
After the picture was shared the Catholic Bishops of New York were among those voicing their displeasure. They wrote: “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President.”
But Vice President JD Vance, a Roman Catholic, hit back at his boss’s critics. Challenged by conservative commentator Bill Kristol he replied: As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen.”
This appeared to be a reference to the 2003 Iraq war, which Kristol supported.
Don’t know if he should uphold constitution
The US President is unclear whether he should be upholding the US constution.
He floundered during an interview with NBC News, when host Kristen Welker asked if people in the US deserve due process in law. A flummoxed Trump responded: “I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”
He was then pressed on whether he should be upholding the law of the land. Worryingly he then responded: “I don’t know.”
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