President Trump once again suggested that films made outside the United States should be subject to 100% tariffs, a move he said would help rejuvenate American filmmaking, but in Hollywood, many people doubt that.
“Our filmmaking business was stolen from the United States of America by other countries,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social Platform Monday morning. “The weak and incompetent governor of California have been hit particularly hard! So to address this long-term, never-ending problem, I will impose 100% tariffs on all films made outside the United States.”
The post does not include detailed information on how such tariffs will work or how they are imposed. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is not the first time Trump has imposed tariffs on films made overseas to crack down on so-called loss of control.
Trump said in May that he was authorizing the Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to start the process of 100% tariffs on “all and all movies made on foreign lands.”
The news surprised studio executives, who said at the time they did not inform the move in advance. Shortly thereafter, California Gov. Gavin Newsom contacted the White House to provide a joint effort to create federal film tax incentives, and many in the industry said they would rather be more than tariffs.
Newsom details the latest increase in applications for the remodeled film and TV tax credits in California by sharing screenshots of the news title on X, which is the latest increase in applications for the stock performance of Hollywood studios, which was the first to call for stock performance in May in May, adding 100% tariffs outside our offshore, just like we know what we are doing, “what we are doing,” Newsom wrote in his post. “Almost like Donald Trump will definitely not be the same.”
Countries including Canada, the UK and New Zealand have already developed generous film tax credit plans that increasingly lure production in California, U.S. with lower costs.
In response, states have also raised the individual tax credit program, including California, which has now more than doubled the annual amount allocated to their film and television tax credit programs and expanded their eligibility criteria.
The Film Society is the lobbying department of Hollywood’s large studios and cannot comment immediately.
On Monday, California Congress representatives reiterated their support for the federal film tax incentive program to support the U.S. film business.
Senator D-Burbank noted that the tariffs could have “unexpected and destructive consequences”, saying he was “prepared to work with this administration” and that his colleagues passed major federal film tax credits “on both sides of the aisle.”
A Schiff spokesman said California senators are currently making proposals for federal film incentives.
Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), a former film producer, also called for the motivation for federal tax benefits, said 100% tariffs on films made overseas would only increase costs for consumers.
“I feel relieved that President Trump recognizes that we are losing signatures to the U.S. products: the domestic film and television industry,” she said in a statement. “I hope the president can work with us to create a real solution that will enhance the competitive environment through international competition.”
