Trump Announces 100% Tariff on Movies from Outside US

US President Donald Trump has announced that he will place a 100% tariff on movies from outside the US, a decision that could shake the entire global film industry. This marks the first time a US president has extended protectionist trade policies into the cultural sector.

Trump revealed the plan on his Truth Social account, saying American moviemaking was “being stolen” by other countries. He compared it to “stealing candy from a baby.” His comments suggest he sees Trump foreign film tariffs as a way to protect Hollywood from international competition.

The announcement immediately raised many questions. It is unclear what legal powers Trump can use to enforce such a US import duty on international films. The White House has not explained how the tariffs would work, and major studios like Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Skydance, Comcast, and Netflix declined to comment. Netflix’s shares slipped by 1.5% after the news.

Industry leaders are confused. Modern films are often co-productions, with financing, filming, editing, and special effects done across several countries. Executives say this makes it almost impossible to decide what counts as a “foreign” film. Earlier this year, when Trump first mentioned the idea of movie trade barriers US style, Hollywood insiders said they were “flummoxed” about how such a policy could be enforced.

Legal experts also doubt the move, noting that films are not just products but also intellectual property and part of the global services trade—an area where the US usually earns more than it spends. Restricting foreign films could therefore backfire on American studios, which depend heavily on international box office revenue.

For now, Trump’s cultural import protectionism idea has left both lawyers and entertainment executives skeptical, as they wait to see if the tariffs can actually be put into practice.