Donald Trump has announced a 100% tariff on “any and all” movies “coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.”
The announcement was made Sunday night in a post on his social media network, Truth Social. “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,” Trump wrote. “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,” Trump continued. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
A number of major upcoming studio films were produced—either partially or entirely—outside of the United States in order to qualify for generous tax credits offered by other countries. Such titles include Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, which is being filmed in the UK; Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Starfighter, also being shot in the UK; and Avatar: Fire and Ash, which was produced in New Zealand.
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Trump’s announcement seems to be born out of a recommendation made by Jon Voight, one of the president’s “special ambassadors” to Hollywood. Per Deadline, in conversations with union representatives and studio executives, Voight has specifically looked at ways to bring productions back to the US, including the possibility of offering a federal tax incentive to studios. While there’s skepticism that the Trump administration would support such an incentive—especially amid broader cost-cutting efforts—the implementation of a tariff could be Trump’s alternative approach to achieving a similar outcome.
