President Donald Trump is urging Congress to create a federal tax incentive aimed at helping the film and television industry.
Movie and television productions have been leaving the United States for places that offer more financial incentives. The president said he is hoping to change that.
In a post on Truth Social, he said in part, “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.” He then went on to urge Congress to approve legislation to provide a tax incentive to help save the entertainment industry.
Alex Ben Block, former editor for the Hollywood Reporter, said this would give productions a financial reason to keep more of their work in the U.S. and help revive Hollywood after struggling for years.
“It is interesting to see that Trump is finally doing something that maybe democrats and republicans can help each other on,” he said. “And states that are so desperate to see these important forms of entertainment and jobs come back, as could possibly happen.”
According to federal data, more than 40,000 production jobs have left Los Angeles since 2022.
Karen Baker Landers, a supervising sound designer, said she agrees with the effort to increase incentives for the entertainment industry.
“I honestly believe if we were to get the tax incentives in California, to get a federal tax incentive, it’s a game changer,” she said. “It would help this country, but also California immensely.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also agreed with the effort, providing the following statement:
“This is a positive step forward on an issue I have championed for years. Industry partners suggest that a federal film incentive would drive a significant leap forward in production — building on the gains Los Angeles has already seen from state and local action.”