Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on all foreign-made films, stating it would defend American culture and boost domestic film production. He argues that foreign tax incentives have lured major Hollywood studios overseas, undercutting the U.S. entertainment sector and even posing what he called a “national security risk” due to potential foreign ideological influence.
The tariff, targeting globally produced films, could have significant effects on major production houses like Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros., many of which frequently shoot in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom to capitalise on reduced expenses and state-supported financial incentives. Critics suggest the move may backfire, raising production expenses and provoking retaliatory trade measures from other nations.
Implementation details are being finalised. The government delegates enforcement to the U.S. Business Representative and Commerce Department. However, the application of the policy to films that involve both international and U.S. production, as well as to streaming platforms and television series, remains ambiguous.
So far, the Motion Picture Association has not issued a formal response. Industry advocates, meanwhile, continue to push for federal-level tax relief and grants to keep filmmaking jobs and investments within the U.S.
