Another Biggie From Donald Trump! Levies 100% Tariff on Films Produced Outside US

In a bold escalation of his protectionist policies, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States. Framing it as a measure to "save the American film industry," Trump’s move is the latest chapter in his long-running tariff war that began with manufacturing and now extends to entertainment with tourism possibly the next.

A New Target in Trump’s Tariff War: Entertainment

Donald Trump’s trade war began in his first term with heavy tariffs on Chinese goods and steel imports. Now, in his bid to reclaim what he calls America’s "cultural sovereignty," he has set his sights on movies produced outside U.S. borders.

Trump orders 100 per cent tariff on all movies produced outside US

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Citing a national security concern over foreign messaging and propaganda, Trump declared that foreign-made films are draining money and jobs from the U.S. economy. His administration has moved to immediately implement the new 100% tariff, though details remain scarce. Trump also touted his “Hollywood Revival Board” , a group including actors like Jon Voight and Mel Gibson as key to bringing film production back home.

In the last decade, Hollywood has seen a major drop in domestic film production. Studios increasingly shoot abroad, drawn by generous tax incentives and lower costs. Trump argues that this shift has crippled local economies and weakened American cultural influence.

By imposing steep tariffs, the administration hopes to make foreign productions financially unviable for U.S. distribution, effectively forcing studios to keep productions domestic. Critics, however, warn that this could backfire, potentially triggering retaliatory moves from trade partners and raising consumer prices for moviegoers.

China: The Silent Player in the Script

While the new tariffs aren’t explicitly aimed at China, the world's second-largest film market is an unspoken factor in this policy. U.S.-China tensions remain high over trade and intellectual property, and Beijing’s tight control over foreign media adds to American frustrations. Trump's broader trade war with China has already disrupted supply chains in tech and manufacturing which now expands that battlefield to soft power and storytelling.

Ironically, the very industry Trump claims to protect may end up suffering. Foreign collaborations and co-productions could dwindle, raising costs for Hollywood studios and limiting content diversity. Theaters might struggle to fill screens, while streaming giants, many of whom depend on global content, could lose subscribers over restricted catalogues.

Moreover, the ripple effects of such a protectionist stance could provoke further isolation of American entertainment, potentially giving rival nations room to expand their own cultural exports.

From Products to Pop Culture: Is Tourism Next?

This move signals a broader trend, Trump’s tariff policies have steadily moved from tangible products like steel, cars, electronics to intangible exports like culture and influence. With manufacturing, technology, and now film under scrutiny, the next frontier could be tourism.

Tourism thrives on open cultural exchange. If Trump’s America continues to wall itself off economically and culturally, international interest in visiting the U.S. may decline. In a world where image drives travel, limiting cultural exports could directly impact the tourism economy, a sector still recovering from pandemic-era losses.

As Trump’s tariff war expands into new territory, what is to be seen is how far will it go and at what cost to America’s global standing?