On Monday, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new policy imposing a 100% tariff on foreign films, citing what he described as the rapid decline of the American movie industry, which he framed as a national security concern. Posting on his platform, Truth Social, Trump accused other nations of luring away U.S. filmmakers with attractive incentives, leading to a severe downturn in domestic production and harming Hollywood.

"The industry in America is dying quickly," he stated, arguing that the efforts by other countries to attract film production amount to coordinated propaganda. As a response, he said he is directing the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately begin implementing tariffs on all foreign-made films, emphasizing his desire to see movies “made in America again.”

At a White House briefing on Sunday, Trump also pointed fingers at California Governor Gavin Newsom, blaming him for the decline of film production in Hollywood, which has reportedly been driven by state budget cuts and more competitive tax breaks offered abroad. Trump stated that if films aren’t produced in the U.S., they should face import tariffs.

The American film industry has faced several economic challenges in recent years, including the effects of COVID-19 and widespread labor strikes. In January, Trump had named actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as special ambassadors to help revitalize Hollywood and attract more business back to the U.S., calling the industry “great but very troubled.” He expressed hope that these envoys would help restore the film sector to its former strength.

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