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Trump Slams Non-US Films With 100% Tariffs

Trump shakes up Hollywood with tariff announcement, says move will save US film industry from dying a ‘very fast’ death

Photo:© Dan Breckwoldt| Dreamstime.com

By Akerele Christabel

May 7, 2025
3:25 pm
Los Angeles, CA

The president Trump has taken his tariff war to another battleground as he makes move to impose 100% tariffs on films produced outside the US. President Trump made this known in a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused other countries of making a “concerted effort” to lure filmmakers and studios away from the country. “ 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. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorizing the Department

“ 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. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, 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. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” President Trump said on Sunday.

He further stated that he had directed the Department of Commerce and the office of the US trade representatives to impose an 100% tariff on “any and all movies coming coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands”. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded to the announcement, saying “We’re on it”.

In addition to his previous announcement, Trump told reporters in the White House that other countries had been stealing movie-making capabilities from the United States “If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States we should have a tariff on movies that come in.” he added.

Recent years has seen the president take interest in the movie-making capital of the world. From raising concerns around overseas production of movies to appointing renowned actors like Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, and Sylvester Stallone as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood, Trump has set his eyes on bringing Hollywood back “bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”

However, Trump appeared to have cooled off after his initial tirade on Sunday. On Monday, 5th May, 2025, he told reporters that he was going to meet with Hollywood executives to ensure they were on board with his plan.

This decision has met with different reactions from within and outside the US. White House spokesman Kush Desai told the BBC: “Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump’s directive to safeguard our country’s national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again.”

Founder of European cinema chain Vue, Timothy Richards, defended filmmakers who chose to produce movies outside the US by pointing to the fact that the cost of shooting movies in the United States has increased astronomically over the past decades. This has driven filmmakers to move production to locations with better conditions, of which the UK happened to be one. Filming in the UK ensured increased tax incentives and lower costs of production. He also cites the high level of expertise and experience among the country’s filmmakers.

In New Zealand, governments have offered rebates and incentives in recent years to draw Hollywood films to the country. The country’s film industry has raked in billions of dollars in tourism revenue driven by the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films, which featured the country’s pristine and scenic vistas. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was awaiting more details of Trump’s measures before commenting on them but would continue to pitch to filmmakers abroad, including in India’s Bollywood. “We’ve got an absolutely world class industry. This is the best place to make movies, period, in the world.” he said.

According to the Motion Picture Association, which represents major U.S. film studios and streaming services, Hollywood exports have dominated cinemas with American movies grossing $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023.

US. film and television production has been hampered in recent years, with setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Overall production in the U.S. was down 26% last year compared with 2021, according to data from ProdPro, which tracks production.