U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States, in a move he claims will revive America’s struggling film industry and counter foreign influence.
Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, said he had authorized the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin the process, blaming foreign governments’ incentives for drawing productions abroad. He called the situation a “National Security threat” and framed the issue as both economic and ideological, claiming: “It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!”
“WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” he added.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded with, “We’re on it,” but specifics remain unclear, including whether the tariffs would apply to U.S. studios filming overseas.
Countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK have seen increased film spending in recent years, while the U.S. saw a 26% drop in production investment in 2024, according to research firm ProdPro.
Australian and New Zealand officials pushed back strongly. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke pledged to “stand up for the Australian screen industry,” while New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon said his government was awaiting more information but would “champion” their film sector.
The proposed tariffs follow a wider trend under Trump’s second term, which has seen aggressive trade policies and rising global tensions. China has already responded by cutting its quota for U.S. films and imposing retaliatory tariffs of up to 125%.
Meanwhile, Trump has appointed actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as special envoys to boost domestic filmmaking and “bring Hollywood BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER.”
Trump also signaled potential softening on China tariffs in recent interviews, saying he may reduce them “at some point” to keep trade viable. He also hinted at extending ByteDance’s June 19 deadline to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations.