U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his administration is preparing to impose a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States, arguing that the American movie industry is being “devastated” by productions relocating abroad.
The announcement, made via Trump’s Truth Social platform, is the latest in a series of protectionist trade moves that have sparked controversy at home and abroad.
“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!”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick quickly echoed the message, reposting Trump’s statement and adding, “We’re on it.” However, no further details were provided about how or when the tariffs would be implemented.
Trump’s move follows recent decisions by China to reduce its import of U.S.-produced films, intensifying trade tensions between the two global powers. The president claimed that foreign governments are luring American filmmakers with lucrative incentives, causing damage to Hollywood and posing a “national security threat.”
“The movie industry in America is dying a very fast death,” Trump wrote. “Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated.”
The post did not clarify whether the proposed tariffs would also apply to television series, which now represent a significant share of the global entertainment market.
Industry in Decline
Hollywood remains a vital part of the U.S. economy, contributing more than 2.3 million jobs and generating $279 billion in sales in 2022, according to the Motion Picture Association. However, the industry continues to face challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, labor strikes, and shifting viewer habits favoring streaming over theatrical releases.
A January 2025 report from production analytics firm ProdPro noted that while the U.S. still ranked among top filming destinations — with $14.5 billion in production spending — that figure represents a 26% drop from just two years prior.
A survey of studio executives revealed that the five most preferred production locations for 2025 and 2026 were outside the U.S., with Toronto, the U.K., Vancouver, Central Europe, and Australia topping the list. California ranked sixth.
Political and Cultural Undertones
Ahead of his 2025 inauguration, Trump appointed actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as “special envoys” to Hollywood, promising they would help make the industry “stronger than ever before.”
Despite Trump’s push to reinvigorate domestic film production, the entertainment sector has traditionally leaned Democratic, with high-profile endorsements in 2024 going to then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris from celebrities like Taylor Swift and George Clooney.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s proposed film tariff will be received by the broader industry, and what impact, if any, it will have on production decisions going forward.
