Washington,USA – September 30, 2025
A 100% Tax on Foreign-Made Films
In a dramatic escalation of his ‘America First’ trade policy, President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would impose a 100% tariff on “any and all movies that are made outside of the United States.”
The announcement, made via social media, aims to protect the American movie-making business, which the President claimed has been “stolen” by other countries.
The move, which marks a significant expansion of the administration’s tariff strategy beyond physical goods into digitally delivered services and intellectual property, has sent shockwaves through the global entertainment industry. Experts are questioning the legal basis and practical implementation of such a tariff, especially given that films are increasingly distributed digitally and often involve international co-production, filming, and post-production work.
* Global Impact:
The tariff is expected to heavily impact major foreign film industries, including India’s Bollywood and other international partners that rely on the US market.
The costs would likely be passed on to American consumers in the form of higher ticket prices and increased streaming subscription fees.
* Hollywood Complications:
The tariff also creates uncertainty for major Hollywood studios, whose large-scale productions frequently film abroad to utilize international tax incentives and varied locations. Retaliatory tariffs from other countries on American films—which account for over 70% of Hollywood’s box office revenue—are a major concern.
New Tariffs Target Furniture and Other Imports
The announcement on foreign films follows a separate, sweeping set of import taxes unveiled last week that will hit multiple household product categories, including furniture and cabinetry, set to take effect on October 1, 2025.
The new taxes are aimed at combating the “flooding” of foreign products into the US market and are intended to revitalize domestic manufacturing, particularly in states like North Carolina, which was cited by the President as having “completely lost its furniture business.”
* Upholstered Furniture: Imports of upholstered furniture will face a 30% tariff.
* Cabinetry:
Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, along with associated products, will be subject to a 50% tariff.
* Pharmaceuticals and Trucks:
The tariff blitz also includes a 100% tariff on branded or patented pharmaceutical products—with an exemption for companies that are actively building manufacturing plants in the US—and a 25% tariff on heavy trucks.
Economic and Trade Repercussions
The new round of tariffs has been met with immediate criticism from consumer groups and trade analysts, who warn that the import taxes will increase inflation and raise costs for American households and businesses. Companies that import products like furniture, such as the Swedish giant Ikea, have already signaled that the new duties may force them to raise prices.
While the administration insists the tariffs are necessary to protect US manufacturers and jobs, opponents argue that the strategy places an unfair financial burden on moderate-income American consumers, risks trade disputes with international partners, and adds further uncertainty to a US economy already struggling with elevated inflation. Legal experts are currently scrutinizing the administration’s use of existing trade law to justify these broad-ranging taxes.
