Trump urges Congress to pass tax incentives for entertainment industry

U.S. President ​Donald Trump on Monday said ​that Congress should pass tax incentives for the entertainment ​industry to keep production in the country.

"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," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal ​Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America."

Trump said he had met with ​actor Jon Voight, who suggested federal tax incentives "to Make our Movie and Television Production Business GREAT AGAIN, perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!"


Voight previously ​advocated for a federal tax credit to boost ⁠the film ‌and television industry in the United States during a ​meeting ​with Trump in February.

Trump named Voight, who rose ⁠to fame following his role in the 1969 film "Midnight ​Cowboy," as one of three special ambassadors to Hollywood ​along with Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson in January 2025.

To fight an exodus of entertainment production abroad, Voight is working with a coalition that includes the Motion Picture Association, the Directors Guild of America and unions representing actors, writers and other talent.

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 for labor ⁠costs on a film or television production in the United States.

"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," Charles Rivkin, Motion Picture Association chairman and CEO, said in a statement to Reuters.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Christian Martinez and Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Ryan Patrick Jones)