President Donald Trump said Monday the United States will impose a 100% tariff on “any and all movies” produced outside the country, a move that would upend the economics of modern filmmaking and distribution if carried out.
In posts on Truth Social, he said the industry had been “stolen” by other countries and pledged to act, repeating language he first used in May.
The White House did not immediately provide specifics on timing, scope, or enforcement, and major studios did not offer comment.
The proposal leaves key questions unanswered, including how authorities would determine whether a film is “foreign,” how the levy would apply to productions shot in multiple countries, and whether digital releases would be treated differently from physical imports.
Even supporters of tougher trade measures acknowledge that film is a cross-border business in which financing, post-production, and visual effects routinely occur outside the U.S.
Past tariff actions on steel and aluminum relied on national security powers under a 1962 law, but the administration has not outlined a process for applying similar tools to feature films.
The announcement signals intent rather than a formal policy, and it could face challenges if the government tries to translate the idea into rules.
The economics of the sector argue against broad restrictions. According to the Motion Picture Association, U.S. film and TV generated $22.6 billion in exports and a $15.3 billion services trade surplus in 2023.
That surplus reflects the global reach of American studios and streaming platforms, which increasingly rely on international box office, licensing, and subscribers.
A sweeping import levy would likely invite retaliation, such as revived screen quotas or other barriers that could hit U.S. titles overseas.
Studios have spent years building production pipelines that run through Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other hubs that offer tax incentives and deep craft talent.
Visual effects and post-production are often parceled among multiple countries, and many U.S. releases are official co-productions with foreign partners.
Rewriting those supply chains would raise costs and slow output, a burden likely to fall on consumers through higher ticket prices or streaming fees.
Analysts say the uncertainty alone may chill green-lighting of projects with significant overseas work.
Trump’s salvo lands as Hollywood is still adjusting to the post-pandemic box office, the aftershocks of the 2023 labor strikes, and a streaming model that demands steady content while investors press for profit.
The Motion Picture Association has previously argued that open markets and intellectual-property protections, not tariffs, are the best way to sustain U.S. leadership.
Union groups have pushed Washington to consider federal tax incentives to keep more production onshore, a targeted approach that avoids blanket penalties on imports.
Media stocks briefly wobbled as investors tried to parse potential exposure to internationally produced content.
Monday’s reiteration could renew those concerns if the administration signals a concrete legal path or if trading partners threaten countermeasures against U.S. entertainment.
For now, the announcement adds another layer of uncertainty to a business that depends on international collaboration to meet global demand.
