A White House spokesman said Monday that “no final decisions” have been made on whether to impose a tariff on foreign-produced films, but that all options are being explored.
President Trump said on Sunday that he had authorized the U.S. Trade Representative and the Commerce Department to initiate steps to impose a 100% tariff on films made overseas.
“WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying that the issue is a matter of national security.
The announcement left several questions unanswered, including how such a tariff would be imposed, what legal basis it would have, and whether it would encompass foreign-produced TV shows in addition to films. The White House did not clear up those questions Monday.
“Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump’s directive to safeguard our country’s national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,” said spokesman Kush Desai.
Trump is seeking to respond to a wave of production overseas by U.S.-based companies. Many in Hollywood have argued that recent job declines, particularly in California, are the result of lucrative incentives offered by the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries.
In recent years, major blockbusters — including “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” due out later this month, have been primarily in the U.K.
Some in Hollywood have been pushing for a federal incentive that would supplement state-based incentives in places like Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, California and New York.
Tariffing all foreign-made films would sweep up productions that shoot abroad for aesthetic and storytelling reasons as much as for economic considerations.
“This makes no sense,” a U.K. producer told Variety on Monday.
The Motion Picture Association, which lobbies on behalf of the major studios in Washington, has yet to issue a response.
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