On Monday, former U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his call for heavy tariffs—this time targeting films made outside the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that America’s movie industry had been “stolen” by other countries, comparing it to “stealing candy from a baby.” He argued that Hollywood had been weakened, and blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for being “weak and incompetent,” saying the state has suffered the most.
“To solve this long-time, never-ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% tariff on any and all movies made outside of the United States,” Trump wrote, though he gave no details or timeline for the plan.
This isn’t the first time he has made such a threat. Back in May, Trump warned that the film business was “dying a very fast death” and instructed the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin looking into tariffs.
What the move would mean for the industry remains unclear. Hollywood remains a powerhouse, supporting more than 2.3 million jobs and generating nearly $280 billion in sales in 2022, according to the Motion Picture Association. But after the pandemic and recent strikes, the sector is still struggling to recover as more Americans choose home viewing over theaters.
Notably, Trump’s remarks did not mention whether television series—now one of the most profitable corners of the entertainment industry—would also be affected.
The comments came just days after he threatened new tariffs on pharmaceuticals, furniture, kitchen cabinets, and heavy trucks, ranging from 25% to 100%. He singled out imported furniture in particular, claiming North Carolina’s once-thriving furniture business had been lost to foreign competition.
