President Donald Trump publicly called on Congress Monday to establish a national tax incentive program for film and television production, aiming to repatriate entertainment jobs to the United States. The announcement followed a meeting with actor Jon Voight, one of his special ambassadors to Hollywood, and was communicated through a Truth Social post. President Trump emphasized that significant film and television production work has increasingly moved to foreign countries, posing an economic challenge for the U.S. entertainment industry.
"The amount of money spent on Tax Incentives will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury’s coffers." President Donald Trump, Truth Social Post.
In his extensive Truth Social post, President Trump described Hollywood as a "Complete and Total Disaster," asserting that Voight and other industry figures have urged him to support federal tax incentives for domestically made productions. "I am going to suggest that Republicans and Democrats get together, and immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America," President Trump wrote. He further added, "Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America."
President Trump highlighted that countries like Canada and the United Kingdom offer various incentives to filmmakers, drawing productions away from the United States. This trend, he argued, has left states like California particularly vulnerable to the shifting economics of the industry. "What we watch on the Silver Screen should be made in what was once the Movie and Motion Picture Capital of the World," President Trump stated, concluding with a direct appeal: "Let’s get this done!"
The President's proposal marks a significant endorsement for an idea that has garnered interest from across the political spectrum. Jon Voight, 87, has been a prominent advocate for federal incentives designed to encourage studios to maintain productions within the U.S. President Trump appointed Voight, alongside Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson, as special Hollywood ambassadors in January 2025, as part of a broader effort to address challenges facing the American entertainment sector. Since their appointments, Voight and his industry allies have collaborated with entertainment organizations and labor groups, actively lobbying the administration to back a national incentive.
This initiative has also fostered an unusual area of agreement between President Trump's allies and California Senator Adam Schiff (D), a figure often at odds with the President. Senator Schiff has independently advocated for his own national production incentive and conducted a Senate hearing in March specifically addressing the migration of American film and television productions overseas. According to Variety, Senator Schiff previously circulated a proposal that would offer a 15% federal credit for qualifying labor expenses on U.S.-based productions. A separate proposal, supported by SP Media Group CEO Steven Paul, who represents Voight, and company President Scott Karol, suggests a 20% federal tax credit for qualifying domestic production labor costs, as reported by Reuters. President Trump did not specify a particular percentage he wishes Congress to adopt in his Monday remarks.
Instead, President Trump focused on the broader economic rationale, predicting that increased domestic entertainment production would generate substantially more federal revenue than the government might forgo through the incentive. "The amount of money spent on Tax Incentives will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury’s coffers," President Trump asserted. He also mentioned that meetings were being arranged with leaders from both parties, emphasizing that the proposal should attract bipartisan support given that California and other Democratic-leaning states have been significantly impacted by production losses.
The President's endorsement received immediate positive feedback from the Motion Picture Association. Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, issued a statement welcoming President Trump’s backing. He affirmed the organization's commitment to collaborating with the administration and lawmakers from both parties to advance a national incentive. "We applaud President Trump’s support for this vital action," Rivkin stated, according to the New York Post.
President Trump’s push comes at a time when the American entertainment industry continues to face intense global competition. Countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom have successfully used production incentives to attract major film and television projects, influencing where studios choose to film. A national federal incentive could potentially operate in conjunction with existing state programs; currently, thirty-eight states offer their own production tax-credit programs, as reported by Axios.
While the proposal has gained high-level support, it still requires Congressional approval, and the precise structure of any eventual legislation remains subject to negotiation. For President Trump, however, the objective is clear and straightforward: to encourage studios to film more movies and television programs within the United States, thereby creating and sustaining domestic entertainment jobs. "Jon, and many others in the Industry, are suggesting we do Federal Tax Incentives in order to Make our Movie and Television Production Business GREAT AGAIN," President Trump concluded.
