Donald Trump has repeated his threat to impose a 100% tariff on all films not made in the US, claiming the American industry had been “stolen” by other countries.

He said on Monday that California had been heavily affected and the levy would “solve this long time, never ending problem”.

In May, the US president said he would talk to Hollywood executives about his plan and to begin the process of imposing the levy because America’s film industry was dying “a very fast death”.

Trump’s remarks come as he announced a new wave of tariffs last week, including a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports as well as 50% levies on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform: “Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’

“California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!”

He said the 100% tariff would be imposed “on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States”.

Trump did not say when the tariff will come into force. The White House has been approached for a comment.

It was also unclear if the tariffs would apply to films on streaming services, such as Netflix, as well as those shown at cinemas, or how they would be calculated.

Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, questioned how such a tax would work given tariffs are typically imposed on goods and said many filmmakers were choosing to shoot films in other countries because of better incentives.

“The threat of 100% tariffs on movies made outside of the US raises more questions than it does answers,” he said.

“Filmmakers have been progressively lured by tax incentives that come from shooting movies in other parts of the world, and the Los Angeles film industry has lost its glitz and glamour.”

Mr Coatsworth said it would be difficult to define an American-made movie if a film were to be shot in the US but have foreign actors, directors, or funding.

“So it’s hard to understand just how Trump intends to impose the levy,” he said.

“Theoretically, being forced to produce movies in the US could push up their costs.

“Content makers would pass on this cost to the customer and that could hurt demand for streaming companies and cinema operators.”

He said investors did not “appear to see this as a serious threat” at present. Stocks for companies such as Netflix and Disney dipped briefly, then bounced back.

Several recent major films produced by US studios were shot outside of America, including Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked and Gladiator II.

The US remains a major film production hub globally despite challenges, according to movie industry research firm ProdPro.

Its annual report showed the country saw $14.54bn (£10.94bn) of production spending last year. But that was down by 26% since 2022.

Countries that have attracted an increase in spending since 2022 include Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

Electronic Arts (EA), the creator of globally popular video games including “Madden NFL,” “Battlefield,” and “The Sims,” is poised to exit public markets after agreeing to a $55 billion acquisition. The deal, one of the largest leveraged buyouts ever, will transfer EA into private ownership, giving the company room to restructure without the scrutiny of public investors.The transaction will see private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, and Affinity Partners — led by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law — pay $210 per share to EA stockholders. This surpasses the $32 billion privatization of Texas utility TXU in 2007, AP reported.EA has been publicly traded for 36 years. Founded by former Apple employee William “Trip” Hawkins, the company went public seven years after its inception, closing its first trading day at a split-adjusted 52 cents per share. CEO Andrew Wilson has led the company since 2013.The buyout is part of a recent flurry of high-profile technology deals involving Silver Lake. The firm is also involved in a joint venture with Oracle to manage US operations of TikTok, though full details of that transaction remain undisclosed. Silver Lake has a history of taking major tech companies private, including Skype in 2009 for $1.9 billion and Dell in 2013 for $24.9 billion, which later returned to public markets in 2018.By going private, EA can reorient its operations without the pressure of meeting quarterly targets. The company’s revenues have remained steady over the past three fiscal years, fluctuating between $7.4 billion and $7.6 billion, even as its games maintain a loyal fan base.Competition in the gaming sector has intensified in recent years. Microsoft acquired rival Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion in 2023, and mobile gaming companies like Epic Games have expanded rapidly. Analysts suggest that privatization could allow EA to invest in innovation, streamline operations, and strengthen its market position.While privatizations often lead to layoffs, EA has not indicated any immediate workforce reductions. After trimming 5% of its staff in 2024, the company had 14,500 employees as of March 2025 and carried out further, limited layoffs in May.The acquisition is expected to provide EA the flexibility to restructure, enhance efficiency, and pursue long-term growth strategies without the constraints of public market expectations, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape of the global gaming industry.