Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he is ordering a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States, citing a rapid decline in domestic film production and labeling the trend a threat to national security.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated:
“I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately begin implementing a 100% tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands.”
The move follows increasing criticism of Trump’s aggressive trade stance, which has resulted in sweeping tariffs across multiple sectors globally. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled swift action, reposting Trump’s statement with a brief response: “We’re on it.”
Details on how the tariffs will be enforced remain unclear, including whether they will affect streaming platforms or television series. Trump’s comments, however, underscore his broader frustration with U.S. studios filming abroad to take advantage of foreign tax breaks and production incentives.
“The movie industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” Trump wrote. “Other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to lure our filmmakers and studios away… It’s a National Security threat.”
Hollywood insiders have acknowledged challenges facing the industry, including lingering impacts from COVID-19 and recent labor strikes. According to the Motion Picture Association, the sector still supports over 2.3 million U.S. jobs and generated $279 billion in sales in 2022. However, U.S. production spending fell by 26% over two years to $14.5 billion, per data from industry tracker ProdPro.
A recent survey of studio executives identified the top five preferred filming locations for 2025–2026—all outside the U.S.—with Toronto, the U.K., Vancouver, Central Europe, and Australia leading the list. California ranked sixth.
Amid these shifts, Trump has appointed longtime allies Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as special envoys to Hollywood ahead of his anticipated inauguration in January, vowing to make the industry “STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE.”
Trump’s latest move could further polarize an industry that has largely backed Democratic candidates, with high-profile figures like Taylor Swift and George Clooney supporting Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.