President Donald Trump is taking bold action to save American cinema and protect national security by proposing a 100% tariff on foreign-made films.
This decisive move aims to counter other countries’ clear efforts to lure production away from Hollywood with lucrative incentives.
Specifically, President Trump announced a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States.
The president has directed the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately begin implementing this protective measure.
He argued that the exodus of film production overseas represents both an economic and cultural threat to America.
President Trump explicitly named the crisis a “National Security threat,” highlighting how foreign governments are using financial incentives to control messaging and propaganda through entertainment.
The president declared:
“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. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!”
President Trump has appointed legendary conservative actors Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight as “Special Hollywood Ambassadors” to help revitalize the American film industry.
Voight has played a major role by working closely with the administration to develop a federal tax incentive plan that would encourage studios to keep production on American soil.
This approach represents a two-pronged strategy: discouraging foreign production through tariffs while simultaneously creating positive incentives for domestic filmmaking.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed immediate support for the president’s initiative. He confirmed, “We’re on it,” in response to the president’s directive.
President Trump specifically called out California Governor Gavin Newsom for allowing the decline of the U.S. movie industry under his watch.
While Hollywood has seen a modest 15.8% increase in box office numbers this year, production levels continue to plummet as filmmakers flee to countries offering massive tax incentives and subsidies.
FilmLA has reported a significant drop in feature production levels, highlighting the urgent need for federal intervention to save this iconic American industry from foreign competitors.
The tariffs would primarily target theatrical film releases, though details about implementation for streaming services remain under development.
The administration is navigating complex trade rules, including a World Trade Organization moratorium on digital goods tariffs that expires in 2026.
Major studios like Disney, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros have increasingly moved production overseas, taking American jobs and creative control with them.
The independent film sector is particularly vulnerable as it prepares for international markets like Cannes.
