President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on all foreign-made films in a move he claims will protect the struggling American film industry and stop Hollywood from “dying a very fast death.”
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump accused countries such as the UK of offering unfair incentives to American filmmakers to shoot abroad — a practice he says amounts to a threat to U.S. national security. “It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda,” Trump wrote. He ordered the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin drafting the sweeping new tariffs immediately. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” he declared.
The Times (UK), which first reported the story, noted that Trump’s proposed tariffs come at a time when foreign production hubs like the UK have become top choices for major Hollywood studios. Films such as Wicked, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Barbie were all shot partially or entirely in the UK. Production spending there reached £1.97 billion in 2022, further highlighting the shift of big-budget filming away from the U.S.
Trump’s plan could threaten upcoming high-profile productions set to film in the UK, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Star Wars: Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling. Other recent blockbusters — including Gladiator II (filmed in Morocco and Malta), Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and Avatar: Fire and Ash (made in New Zealand) — could have been subject to tariffs under the proposed policy.
Hollywood insiders and trade experts have expressed concern. William Reinsch, a former Commerce Department official under President Clinton, warned that retaliatory tariffs from other nations would likely “kill” the American film industry: “We have a lot more to lose than to gain,” he said.
The policy announcement also follows Trump’s earlier moves to reshape U.S. trade, including a 10% baseline “reciprocal” tariff on all imports and a 145% tariff on Chinese goods. China recently curtailed imports of U.S. films, compounding the pressure on Hollywood.
In a C-SPAN interview on Sunday, Trump criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for “allowing other countries to steal our movie industry.” He added: “If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States, then we should have a tariff on movies that come in.”
Trump has also enlisted notable Hollywood allies to spearhead a revival of domestic filmmaking. In January, he appointed actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as “special ambassadors” to help bring Hollywood “BACK — BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Officials in Australia and New Zealand have pushed back, pledging to defend their national screen industries. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said his government would be a “great advocate” for its film sector while awaiting further details of the proposed policy.
While the initiative has gained backing from Trump loyalists, it raises serious logistical questions. The administration has yet to clarify how the tariffs would apply to television content, streaming platforms like Netflix, or films co-produced across borders.
