President Donald Trump has called for bipartisan tax incentives to support the domestic TV and movie industry, which has seen significant business move overseas. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced plans to meet with leaders from both political parties to address the issue.
He emphasized that the initiative should be bipartisan, citing the financial losses experienced in California and other predominantly Democratic states. Trump suggested that Republicans and Democrats collaborate to create legislation that revives the American movie, television, and entertainment sectors.
Actor Jon Voight, a campaign surrogate for Trump in 2024, influenced this move. Voight, whom Trump considers his ‘Hollywood ambassador,’ has shaped Trump’s policy towards the entertainment industry. In May 2025, Trump met with Voight before proposing tariffs on foreign-produced films. Voight did not offer comments in response to inquiries on Monday night.
Trump’s proposal received immediate backing from some Democrats. Senator Adam Schiff of California expressed agreement with Trump’s initiative. Schiff stated that Congress should quickly pass a federal film tax incentive to restore good-paying jobs lost to international competition. He urged both parties to collaborate on this effort.
Representative Laura Friedman from California also supported the measure, advocating for its prompt implementation. Friedman shared that she had been discussing a national film and television tax credit for over a year with Jon Voight, colleagues, unions, studios, and producers. She argued against foreign competition from countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia, asserting that the U.S. has the world’s best crews.
Friedman noted that proposed tariffs on foreign films highlighted the U.S. industry’s decline but that a tax credit would be more effective than tariffs. The motion received industry support, with Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, praising Trump’s initiative. Rivkin emphasized the historical impact of American studios on global entertainment and advocated for federal incentives as a crucial step toward strengthening local economies across all states.
While Trump did not detail financial aspects of the tax incentives, he predicted substantial economic benefits from increased Treasury revenues.
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