Trump announces 100% tariffs on movies ‘produced in foreign lands’
GuardianMAY 19
Trump Orders 100% Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Above: President Donald Trump addresses the media on the White House south lawn on May 4, 2025, upon his return from a weekend in Florida. Image copyright: Tasos Katopodis/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
This bold move will protect American jobs and revitalize Hollywood, which has been devastated by foreign countries stealing America's movie industry through taxpayer-funded incentives. The film industry is not just about entertainment but also messaging and national security, making it vital to bring production back to the U.S. Allowing foreign governments to control where American stories are told creates vulnerability in the U.S.' cultural sovereignty.
Democratic narrative
These absurd tariffs will harm the global film ecosystem and potentially trigger retaliatory measures that could devastate American studios' international revenues. The policy fails to recognize that modern filmmaking is inherently global, with productions often spanning multiple countries to capture authentic locations and leverage specialized talent. Rather than imposing punitive tariffs, a better approach would be increasing domestic tax incentives to make American production more competitive.