Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on foreign films, calling the American movie industry’s decline a national security threat.
Donald Trump has unveiled a sweeping 100% tariff on foreign-made movies entering the United States, calling the move a matter of national security and essential to protect what he described as a collapsing American film industry.
“The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
Trump directed the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin enforcing the tariff “on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.”
The announcement is part of a broader trade push that includes a 10% baseline tariff on most imports and a 145% tariff on Chinese goods.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “Other nations have been stealing the movie-making capabilities from the United States.”
He added, “If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff on movies that come in.”
The declaration left Hollywood insiders scrambling for answers. Many were unsure how the policy would be applied to international co-productions or streaming content.
No rollout timeline or enforcement guidelines were provided, and the Motion Picture Association has yet to respond publicly.
Trump has expressed interest in reshaping the entertainment industry.
Earlier this year, he named Mel Gibson, Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. Trump promised the move would help make the industry “bigger, better, and stronger than ever.”
According to industry data, despite Trump’s claims of decline, the U.S. film sector posted $22.6 billion in exports and a $15.3 billion trade surplus in 2023.
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