No final call yet on foreign film tariffs, says White House
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump took to 'Truth Social' to unveil his plan to slap heavy import taxes on films produced outside the U.S., blaming foreign incentives for driving a steep decline in domestic movie production.
ADVERTISEMENT
The White House on Monday confirmed it is actively considering all avenues to implement President Donald Trump's sweeping directive to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, although no final decision has been made yet, as per a report by Reuters.
The clarification came a day after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, accused international production incentives of killing the American movie industry and called for immediate action to stem what he described as its "fast death."
Also Read: Donald Trump signals willingness to extend TikTok deadline as tariff tensions with China mount
He authorized key departments, including the Department of Commerce, to begin the process of implementing the proposed levy.
The announcement sent ripples through the entertainment industry, especially since the administration has yet to provide a legal framework or concrete details on how much tariffs would be calculated or enforced.
Also Read: Hollywood hit hard: US media stocks slide as Trump slaps 100% tariff on foreign-made films
Citing a sharp downturn in local production, a White House official revealed that Hollywood recorded just 451 shoot days for feature films in the first quarter of 2025—a nearly 30% drop compared to the same period last year, the report stated.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in the report that administration is considering a range of policy tools to act on the president's directive and protect both national and economic interests. However, he noted that discussions are ongoing and no measures are currently in place.
