LOS ANGELES — President Donald Trump is backing a new federal tax incentive push aimed at bringing more film and television production back to the United States.
The push for new legislation in Congress comes as Los Angeles County has shed more than 40,000 entertainment jobs since 2022, and studios are increasingly shooting overseas to take advantage of lower costs and foreign incentives.
Many California leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who expanded the state’s own film tax credit program in 2025, have voiced support for Trump’s broader effort. While some critics argue that film tax credits can become an expensive competition between governments with limited economic payoff.
For some longtime workers, the announcement is too little, too late. Former TV editor Rich Mikan said the industry’s downturn forced a career pivot from editor to author.
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