Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, May 5: In a move that could drastically alter the global film landscape, US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on all foreign-produced movies entering the United States, calling the influx of overseas films a "national security threat."

Trump, writing on Truth Social, accused other nations of offering ‘financial incentives’ to lure away American filmmakers and studios, asserting that such efforts were “messaging and propaganda” aimed at weakening the US film industry.

“Hollywood, and many other areas within the USA, are being devastated,” he wrote. “This is a concerted effort by other Nations.”

He said he had authorized the Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative to begin implementing the tariffs immediately. “If they're not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff when movies come in. I can tell you one thing, moviemakers love it,” Trump said while addressing the media at the White House.

He also blamed California governor Gavin Newsom for the decline in film production in Hollywood, although Newsom’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

The American film industry has faced several economic setbacks in recent years, including COVID-19 disruptions and labor strikes. Production in California has dwindled as international and domestic competitors like the UK, Ontario, New York, and Georgia offer better tax incentives.

A recent report by FilmLA showed that while overall production has declined in Los Angeles, the production of feature films rose by 18.8% last year though it still remained below the five-year average.

In January, Trump appointed actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as ‘special ambassadors to Hollywood’ to help revive the US film industry. Voight’s manager, Steven Paul, had indicated that a meeting with Trump was being planned to present strategies to boost domestic film production.

The Motion Picture Association, which represents major Hollywood studios, declined to comment on the tariff announcement. Foreign film distributors, including Netflix, also did not issue immediate responses.

Trump’s move comes on the heels of China’s recent announcement of new tariffs on Hollywood imports, a development seen as symbolic amid declining US box office performance in the Chinese market.