Trump calls for federal tax incentives to revive US film industry

Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times on Aug 31, 2026

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President Trump on Monday urged Congress to approve federal tax incentives aimed at reviving American film and television productions, saying Hollywood has been hollowed out by productions moving to Canada and other countries.

In a social media post, Trump said he met with actor Jon Voight, whom he has designated as "Hollywood Ambassador," and concluded there is "no incentive" to work in Hollywood anymore and that it is "hurting California very badly."

"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, Perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!," Trump said wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said meetings are already being set up to talk to lawmakers on both parties, noting that he wants to the discussions to 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," he said.

There are few details about what these incentives would look like at this time, but Trump said "the amount of money spent" on tax breaks will be made up "tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury's coffers."

Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, applauded Trump's announcement, and, in a statement, added that "for over a century, American studios, casts, and crews have produced the films and series that the world wants to see."

"A federal incentive," Rivkin added, "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."

Trump's push comes as production has continued to shift overseas. Last year, 45% of all U.S. films and scripted television shows were shot internationally, up from about 33% in 2022, an issue that has worried California lawmakers, like Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California.

California and other states have bolstered their production incentive programs, but Schiff has argued in the past that it i not enough. He, too, has made the case for a federal tax credit.

"State programs cannot simply substitute for the kind of global, federal and competitive tax incentives that are needed to bring production back to American soil and stop its offshoring," Schiff said at an event in March. "The urgency could not be greater."

Trump has previously floated more aggressive measure, including a threat to impose tariffs on foreign-made films, but that idea did not gain traction.