Trump announces 100% tariff on foreign-made movies
CNN1 day
Trump Announces 100% Tariff on Foreign-Made Movies
Above: Moviegoers at AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 in Los Angeles on Sept.19, 2025. Image copyright: Qian Weizhong/VCG/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Although there are details to this policy that must be hashed out — particularly regarding how American-made movies will be treated abroad — Trump's overarching goal of protecting Hollywood is noble. Foreign countries have been poaching American movies for a long time, and despite Hollywood's hate for Trump, the president wants to protect all American industries, even those that don't respect him.
Democratic narrative
This tariff is a misguided, protectionist move that won't save Hollywood or America, but will hike consumer costs for global films. Vague "made abroad" rules sow chaos, not jobs, despite the United States leading with $7.2B in production in the first half of 2025. Instead of raising prices on imported films, Trump should push for tax credits to boost domestic production.