President Donald Trump urged Congress on Monday to act quickly to approve a federal tax incentive aimed at the production of movies and television shows in the United States, with the goal of recovering jobs and economic activity that have moved abroad in recent years. The proposal represents a new attempt by the Trump administration to strengthen an iconic American industry and return to Hollywood some of the prominence it has lost to other international production centers.
Through Truth Social, Trump urged Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass legislation that would save the American film, television, and entertainment industry. The president stated that Congress should immediately establish a federal incentive for audiovisual production, with the intention of generating jobs within the country.
The initiative has support from figures across different political sectors. Among its main proponents is actor Jon Voight, a conservative figure close to Trump and one of the president's special ambassadors for Hollywood, along with Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson. Voight has warned about the decline of the American industry as more studios move their productions to other countries that offer more attractive tax benefits.
Trump reinforced his argument after recently meeting with Voight, 87, whom he described as a Hollywood legend deeply concerned about the current state of the industry. The president called the state of Hollywood a ''total disaster'' and supported efforts to incentivize production within the United States again.
The proposal also has an unusual element: the support of a prominent political adversary of Trump. California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff has promoted a federal initiative for years to combat the so-called ''flight'' of film and television productions. In March, Schiff held a Senate hearing on the relocation of production jobs to other countries and states that offer greater incentives.
A proposal previously pushed by Schiff included a 15% federal tax credit on certain labor expenses for productions made in U.S. territory. For his part, producer Steven Paul, CEO of ''SP Media Group'' and Voight's representative, along with the company's president, Scott Karol, have proposed a 20% credit on eligible labor costs.
