Donald Trump called on Congress on Monday to immediately approve a federal tax incentive for film and TV production, in a Truth Social post that followed a meeting with actor Jon Voight. Trump said he would push for a bipartisan bill to save the industry, backing what Variety reported was a move long sought by Hollywood studios and unions.
What did the post say? The industry "has moved to Canada, and other Countries," Trump said, calling Hollywood "a Complete and Total Disaster." He said the money spent on incentives "will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury's coffers."
Who was at the meeting? Voight, who is Trump's "special ambassador" to Hollywood, was joined at the White House by Steven Paul, chairman and CEO of SP Media Group, and its president, Scott Karol, Variety reported. The three told Trump that thousands of workers had already lost jobs as producers turned to Canada, the UK, Australia and other markets offering competitive incentives. Paul said his upcoming film about Richard Nixon's early years would need to be produced overseas without a viable US incentive. After Trump initially raised the prospect of tariffs on films made outside the US, the group worked with a coalition including SAG-AFTRA, the Teamsters and the Directors Guild of America, as well as White House advisers and members of Congress, to focus the proposal on an incentive.
How did lawmakers and the industry respond? Sen. Adam Schiff, who held a hearing on the topic in March, said he was "in strong agreement with the President," Variety reported. Rep. Laura Friedman, a Democrat from Burbank, said the legislation needed "to pass quickly," and Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin applauded the move; the MPA has been working with Voight to push for a 20% credit. Supporters have cited a drop in domestic production since the streaming bubble burst in 2022, with around 73,000 jobs lost nationwide, about two-thirds of them in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, Trump said in a follow-up post: "Great bipartisan response and support in Congress for the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act."
Figures referenced: Donald Trump. — JudgeMarket.
