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 posted that he wants to “get this done“ in a lengthy Truth Social message expressing support for the idea of a federal tax credit.
“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, “Meetings are being set up with the Leaders of both Parties in order to get this done. It should be Bipartisan, especially since so much money is being lost in California, and other largely Blue States. 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.”
The president 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. “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 the legislation. 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 such an incentive. In August one-time L.A. mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt met with Trump to champion the idea.
But the conversation that seemingly preceded this message was with Trump’s “special ambassador” to Hollywood Jon Voight, who has championed 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 earlier that year, Voight and his business associates Steven Paul and Scott Karol chatted with the president in 2025, presenting an array of options to help boost entertainment production in America. Trump seized on one of their initial ideas, 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 the statement 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.”
More to come.
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