The U.S.-China trade war has taken a dramatic turn—this time targeting the silver screen. Former President Donald Trump has ordered 100% tariffs on all foreign-produced films, calling the measure essential to rescue America’s struggling movie industry.
In fiery social media posts, Trump framed the move as a national security issue, claiming foreign governments are deliberately undermining Hollywood. “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers away,” he wrote, labeling it a “concerted attack.” The tariffs aim to push production back to American soil, though details on enforcement—especially for global streamers like Netflix—remain vague.
The announcement follows China’s recent decision to slash U.S. film imports in retaliation to existing tariffs. Trump, however, is doubling down, having previously enlisted stars like Sylvester Stallone to promote Hollywood’s revival. Critics question whether penalizing foreign films will truly boost domestic production or simply limit audience choices. Either way, the curtain is rising on a new era of cultural protectionism.
