Another day, another tariff threat from President Donald Trump, this time, aimed squarely at Hollywood’s global competition.
On Monday, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to declare his intention to impose steep tariffs on films produced outside the United States.
“Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’ California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has floated the idea. Back in May, he called foreign productions a “national security threat” to America’s film industry, arguing that they not only lure filmmakers overseas with lucrative incentives but also introduce unwanted “messaging and propaganda” into the U.S. market.
At that time, questions swirled about whether the president had the authority to levy such tariffs or how they would even be enforced.
The backdrop to Trump’s latest proclamation is the shifting geography of global film production. In recent years, many studios have chosen to film in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, where government-backed tax incentives significantly cut production costs.
At the same time, some projects shoot abroad simply because the story demands it. Directors such as Denis Villeneuve (Dune) and Christopher Nolan (the upcoming Odyssey) have long preferred authentic, on-location shoots to studio-built sets.
Trump also took a jab at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, accusing him of failing to protect Hollywood jobs.
Newsom, meanwhile, has recently expanded the state’s film tax credit program to lure productions back to Los Angeles, and hasn’t been shy about trading barbs with Trump online.
