In a move that is already stirring global controversy, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a sweeping 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States.
According to the AFP, he claimed the initiative is aimed at reviving the American film industry, which he described as being in steep decline due to overseas competition.
Trump made the declaration via his Truth Social platform, where he emphasized the need to bring movie production back to U.S. soil.
“I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands,” Trump posted.
“We want movies made in America, again!” he added.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reposted the president’s statement, affirming, “We’re on it,” though no implementation details were disclosed.
The announcement follows escalating trade tensions with several countries, including China, which recently slashed its quota for imported American films.
Trump argued that foreign governments are luring U.S. studios overseas through attractive incentive programs, leaving American production houses and workers behind.
“The movie industry in America is dying a very fast death. Other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States,” Trump wrote. “Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated. This is a national security threat.”
Industry experts say the tariff could have significant implications for both international and domestic entertainment markets, although the full impact remains uncertain. It’s also unclear whether television series and streaming content will fall under the new tariff policy.
Hollywood has faced several challenges in recent years, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and industry-wide strikes, which have shifted viewing habits and pushed more audiences toward at-home streaming. A recent report by production tracker ProdPro revealed that while the U.S. still sees substantial production spending—$14.5 billion as of early 2025—that figure has dropped by 26% from two years ago.
The same report indicated that U.S. studio executives increasingly prefer filming in locations like Toronto, Britain, Vancouver, Central Europe, and Australia, all of which offer competitive tax incentives. California ranked sixth on the list.
In a bid to reinforce ties with Hollywood, Trump recently appointed actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as special envoys to the entertainment industry.
“They will make the entertainment industry stronger than ever before,” Trump said in another Truth Social post.
