President Donald Trump is backing a federal tax incentive for film and television production, framing the proposal as a way to bring more entertainment jobs and shoots back to the United States.
Trump made the appeal Monday on Truth Social, urging Republicans and Democrats in Congress to work together on legislation aimed at strengthening domestic movie, TV and entertainment production.
“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 wrote.
He continued by calling for swift congressional action: “Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America. It can be done quickly, accurately, efficiently and, importantly, will benefit ALL of America.,” Trump added. “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!”
The push follows Trump’s threat last year to place a 100% tariff on films produced overseas, a move that sparked renewed calls from entertainment industry figures for U.S. tax credits competitive with production incentives offered in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
As – News reported, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) detailed the Hollywood decline during a Burbank City Hall chambers meeting by noting that roughly 45 percent of all U.S. films and scripted shows are being shot abroad.
Schiff said more 42,000 jobs have been lost along with livelihoods and careers, adding that entertainment projects are being “lured abroad” by “foreign governments that have invested aggressively in building their own film industries.” The senator noted that 45 percent of all U.S. films and scripted television shows last year were shot abroad – a full 12 percent spike from 2022’s 33 percent.
While Schiff appreciated some of the incentive programs that California politicians have implemented keep production in state, he called 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,” he said at the event. “The urgency could not be greater.”
Industry leaders have voiced support for a U.S. federal incentive program that would potentially help keep production in state.
“Theoretically, it just makes a lot of sense,” said Joe Chianese, senior vice president at Entertainment Partners. “If it were to happen, it would definitely help not just California, but U.S. production in general.”
According to Variety, a federal tax incentive would “give studios and producers a credit or a rebate on a percentage of production costs.”
“That credit would likely stack on top of state-level credits offered in California, New York, Georgia, New Jersey, and other states,” it added. “Some 80 countries have adopted tax incentives as an economic development tool, and production centers have flourished in Central and Eastern Europe, Australia, South Africa, and other parts of the globe.”
Adam Schiff expressed support for the proposal in a statement on X.
“I am in strong agreement with the President,” he said. “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. Let’s work together — Republicans and Democrats — to get this done, and bring the movie magic back to America.”
Rep. Laura Friedman, a Democrat from Burbank, also supported the proposal.
“I agree that our tax incentive legislation needs to pass – and to pass quickly,” she said.
“For more than a year I’ve been sitting down with Jon Voight, Congressional colleagues, the unions, studios, and producers to build the case for a national film and television tax credit. There’s no reason Canada, the UK, or Australia should be taking our jobs. We still have the best crews on the planet. It’s time we made it possible for them to stay where they belong: in America.”
