In a Truth Social post, Trump described the loss of business as akin to “stealing candy from a baby” and criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom as “weak and incompetent,” claiming the state has been hit hard.

Trump’s threat follows a similar warning in May, when he claimed the U.S. movie industry was “dying a very fast death” and directed the Department of Commerce and U.S. 

Trade Representative to explore a 100% tariff. No specific timeline or details for implementation were provided, leaving the policy’s impact on Hollywood unclear. 

The U.S. film industry, a key economic driver generating $279 billion in sales and over 2.3 million jobs in 2022 per the Motion Picture Association, has struggled to recover from the Hollywood strikes and shifts in viewing habits post-Covid, with audiences favoring streaming over theaters.

Trump’s post did not clarify whether television series, a growing sector, would face similar tariffs. 

The announcement comes amid his broader tariff agenda, with plans to impose 25% to 100% duties on branded pharmaceuticals, kitchen cabinets, upholstered furniture, and heavy trucks starting Wednesday. 

He specifically highlighted 100% tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals unless companies build U.S. manufacturing plants and lamented the loss of North Carolina’s furniture industry to China and other nations.