Trump Urges Tax Incentives For Entertainment Industry

President Donald Trump on Monday urged Congress to immediately pass federal tax incentives to keep movie and television production in the United States, saying the entertainment industry needs legislation to create jobs at home.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Republicans and Democrats should “get together, and immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America.” He called on lawmakers to approve “a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America.”

Trump said the idea followed a meeting with actor Jon Voight, who recommended federal tax incentives “to Make our Movie and Television Production Business GREAT AGAIN, perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Voight had pressed the same proposal during a February meeting with Trump.

Voight, known for his role in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, was named one of three special ambassadors to Hollywood in January 2025, along with Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson. He is working with a coalition that includes the Motion Picture Association, the Directors Guild of America, and unions representing actors, writers, and other talent to counter the shift of production overseas.

SP Media Group CEO Steven Paul, a film producer and Voight’s agent, and SP Media President Scott Karol have proposed a 20% federal tax credit on labor costs for film and television productions shot in the United States.

Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said in a statement to Reuters: “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.”