Donald Trump believes the U.S. film industry has been “stolen,” and he plans to fix the issue by imposing a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies.
On Sept. 29, the Commander in Chief used his Truth Social platform to launch his latest U.S.-based attack, this time on Hollywood and foreign films imported into the country. Echoing threats he first made in May, Trump’s stance against the film industry could upend Hollywood’s global business model on a massive scale, Reuters reports.
”Our movie-making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing candy from a baby,” Trump wrote.
Donald Trump announces a 100% tariff on all films made outside of the U.S. pic.twitter.com/KWMxuQ4rXi— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 29, 2025
He took aim at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, calling him “weak and incompetent” and claiming the state, home to Hollywood, has been “hard hit” by foreign films.
”Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies made outside the United States,” Trump declared.
It remains unclear what legal authority Trump has to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, but the move highlights his willingness to expand his tariff war into cultural industries and place tariffs on a service rather than a good. The move creates uncertainty for studios that rely on international co-productions and box-office revenue, and could result in the cost being passed down to consumers.
“There is too much uncertainty, and this latest move raises more questions than answers,” said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. “For now, as things stand, costs are likely to increase, and this will inevitably be passed on to consumers.”
When Trump first floated tariffs on foreign films, a coalition of U.S. film unions and guilds urged him in a letter to instead back tax incentives for domestic production through a congressional reconciliation package. The Motion Picture Association reports the industry posted a $15.3 billion trade surplus in 2023, fueled by $22.6 billion in exports.
“On first blush, it’s shocking and would represent a virtually complete halt of production,” one industry insider said at the time. “But in reality, he has no jurisdiction to do this, and it’s too complex to enforce.”
Movie ticket sales in the U.S. continue to decline amid inflation, fewer theatrical releases since the pandemic, and a shift in consumer preference toward streaming. Trump’s film tariff proposal adds to a growing list of targeted industries, including a 100% tariff on branded drugs (with some exceptions), a 25% tariff on heavy trucks, a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and vanities, and a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture.
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