In a string of fiery statements posted on Truth Social and during a weekend NBC interview, President Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of policy signals aimed at the entertainment industry, criminal justice, central banking, and tech regulation—each with potential implications for investors and markets.

On Sunday, Trump declared the American movie industry to be in steep decline and blamed foreign governments for luring production overseas with generous subsidies. “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States... This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat”.

To counteract what he characterized as an “invasion” of foreign film content, Trump announced he would direct the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to impose a 100% tariff on movies produced abroad. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” he wrote.

The post marks a rare intersection of culture and trade policy and could pose challenges to global studios with U.S. distribution footprints. While such a tariff would face steep legal and international trade hurdles, the sentiment underscores Trump’s growing populist rhetoric in his 2024 campaign messaging.

In a separate post, Trump revived a Cold War-era icon: Alcatraz. “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” he declared, calling for the storied San Francisco Bay prison to be resurrected and expanded to hold what he described as “America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders”. He added that the facility would be run jointly by the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons, and Homeland Security.

“The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE,” Trump wrote, continuing his tough-on-crime messaging aimed at what he frames as widespread lawlessness in American cities.

Trump Keeps Powell

Trump also appeared on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker, where he addressed monetary policy and tech regulation. Amid investor speculation about the future of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Trump said he would not seek Powell’s removal before his term ends in May 2026.

“I won’t replace Powell before his term is up,” Trump said, despite his long-running criticism of the Fed’s handling of interest rates. While Trump has publicly lambasted the central bank’s monetary tightening, his assurance of continuity at the top could calm market jitters about central bank independence.

Still, Trump reiterated his dissatisfaction with the Fed’s current trajectory, asserting that its policies are “too tough” on the economy—a reference to ongoing debates over rate hikes and inflation management. The next Fed policy meeting on May 6-7 will likely be watched even more closely in light of Trump’s remarks.

On the technology front, Trump weighed in on the future of TikTok, signaling a willingness to again extend the deadline for ByteDance to divest the app’s U.S. operations. “I would... I’d like to see it done,” Trump said on NBC, referring to a potential deal to transition TikTok into American ownership.

The current deadline for ByteDance to secure a buyer for TikTok’s U.S. assets stands at June 19, having already been extended twice. Trump’s openness to additional time comes amid complex negotiations involving major players such as oracle, applovin, and amazon, with China’s government expressing resistance to forced divestiture.

The deal has national security and market implications, with regulators concerned about data privacy and foreign influence while investors track the fate of a major digital platform that commands the attention of over 150 million American users.