May 05, (THEWILL) – U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a 100% tariff on all foreign-produced films entering the United States, citing concerns over the declining competitiveness of the American film industry.
Trump announced the policy in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, characterising the measure as a reaction to foreign incentives luring filmmakers away from the U.S.
“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 stated.
The President framed the issue as a national security concern, claiming that foreign film production is made up of “messaging and propaganda” by competing nations.
“Therefore, I am authorising 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. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA AGAIN!” he declared.
Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, responded to the announcement on X, stating simply, “We’re on it.”
However, neither the White House nor the Commerce Department provided details on the implementation, including whether the tariffs would apply to streaming platforms in addition to theatrical releases, or how the levy would be determined, whether based on production budgets, distribution expenses, or box office earnings.
This move reflects an escalation in Trump’s long-standing emphasis on domestic production incentives, while its enforceability and wider consequences for the economy are still unclear. Updates are anticipated as federal agencies formalise the policy.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
