RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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For some time now, the idea of a federal film and television tax incentive has had bipartisan support , but Republican lawmakers have seemingly been waiting on word from the White House.
Now, it appears, that word has come. On Monday, President Donald Trump expressed support for the idea of a federal tax credit and posted that he wants to "get this done" in a lengthy Truth Social message .
"Hollywood is a Complete and Total Disaster! Despite the name, it is getting very little work. There is no incentive to be there, and it is hurting California very badly," Trump wrote. "Jon [Voight], 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, perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!"
The President added that "meetings are being set up" with bipartisan leaders. "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," he continued.
Trump then exhorted Congress to approve such legislation, which would provide films and TV shows that shoot in the U.S. with incentives that they could stack on top of individual states' tax credits. Advocates have called a federal tax credit a crucial step for the U.S. in order to compete with incentives offered by countries including Canada, the U.K. and Australia, among others.
"What we watch on the Silver Screen should be made in what was once the Movie and Motion Picture Capital of the World. Let's get this done!" Trump concluded.
In the last few weeks, a few key figures trusted by the president have stumped for such an incentive. In July, as he face an antitrust lawsuit from a dozen states over his proposed studio mega-merger, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison met with Republican members of a key House committee to support the idea. In August one-time L.A. mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt scheduled a sit-down with Trump to champion the tax credit.
But the conversation that seemingly preceded this message was with Trump's "special ambassador" to Hollywood, Jon Voight, who has backed the tax incentive for more than a year and proven himself to be an effective go-between for L.A. and D.C.
After meeting with several industry organization early in 2025, Voight and his business associates Steven Paul and Scott Karol chatted with the President later that year, presenting an array of options to help boost entertainment production in America. Trump seized on one of their initial proposals, tariffs , but never ended up imposing them on Hollywood. Voight has since been attempting to steer the conversation more towards a tax incentive in coalition with Hollywood unions, the Motion Picture Association, independent filmmakers, industry vendors and other groups.
The MPA, the trade group representing major studios and streamers, quickly celebrated Trump's endorsement of the tax credit idea on Monday.
"A federal incentive would be a landmark step toward bringing more production to local communities in all 50 states, strengthening our nation's economy, and making our country a more competitive place to produce, create, and tell great stories," the trade group's chairman and CEO Charlie Rivkin said in a statement. "We applaud President Trump's support for this vital action, and we look forward to continuing to work with the White House and bipartisan leaders in Congress to enact a meaningful and effective national incentive into law."
The Directors Guild of America also celebrated the development on Monday. "We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress on a bipartisan bill that will have the greatest possible impact on promoting domestic film and television production, creating good jobs, and strengthening America's homegrown film and television industry," the union's national executive director Russell Hollander stated.
As THR has previously reported, Rep. Laura Friedman and Senator Adam Schiff, both Democrats, have been outspoken champions of federal tax credit legislation. Both issued statements supporting Trump's sense of urgency on the issue on Monday.
"I am in strong agreement with the President," Schiff — who rarely is — said in a statement. "Congress should immediately take up and pass a federal film tax incentive to bring back these good-paying jobs that we've lost to other countries."
Friedman added, "I agree that our tax incentive legislation needs to pass — and to pass quickly."
It's unclear what form the legislation could take, but in July sources told THR that an federal tax incentive could be included in a tax package, folded into a reconciliation package or introduced as a standalone bill.
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