President Donald Trump threw his public support behind a federal film and television tax incentive Monday, posting a lengthy message on Truth Social calling on Congress to act after a meeting with actor and self-described Hollywood ambassador Jon Voight.
"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, 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 amount of money spent on Tax Incentives will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury's coffers."
According to Deadline, Republican lawmakers had largely been waiting for a signal from the White House before moving forward with legislation. Monday's post appears to be that signal. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the conversation immediately preceding the post was with Voight, who has backed the tax incentive idea for more than a year and worked as a go-between connecting Los Angeles and Washington.
Voight's push has been part of a broader coalition that includes Hollywood unions, the Motion Picture Association, independent filmmakers, and industry vendors. Earlier in 2025, Voight and his business associates Steven Paul and Scott Karol met with Trump and presented a range of options. Trump initially pursued tariffs on films produced outside the United States but never imposed them. Voight has since steered the conversation toward tax incentives.
In July, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison met with Republican members of a key House committee to advocate for the credit. In August, Spencer Pratt scheduled a sit-down with Trump for the same purpose.
Trump's post made clear he wants the legislation to move on a bipartisan basis. "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," he wrote. "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. Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America."
He closed the post with a direct call to action. "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!"
As TheWrap reported, entertainment industry lobbyists including the Motion Picture Association and the Entertainment Union Coalition had spent months meeting with lawmakers to build bipartisan support for a federal credit. Such a credit would stack on top of state-level incentives and would be designed to make the U.S. more competitive against countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The MPA responded quickly. "For over a century, American studios, casts, and crews have produced the films and series that the world wants to see," MPA President Charles Rivkin said. "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. 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."
No specific figures on the size of the credit were included in Trump's post. However, according to Deadline, the general consensus among advocates including Voight, Pratt, and Sen. Adam Schiff is that the credit should start at around 25 percent. No timeline for legislation has been announced.
