The American government has aligned itself with the film industry in an effort to revive Hollywood and to help workers in the entertainment sector, on both the big and small screens, rebound and create new jobs. Donald Trump has indeed endorsed tax incentives for the cinema and television industries, a move that many had hoped for and that had pushed several production companies to shoot their projects abroad. On Truth Social, Mr. President announced that he would push for a bipartisan bill to save the sector, explaining:
I intend to propose that Democrats and Republicans come together to immediately draft legislation aimed at saving American cinema, television, and the entire entertainment industry. Congress should promptly approve a federal incentive that helps create jobs in our nation’s entertainment sector. It can be done quickly and with care and efficiency, so that, and this is very important, all of America benefits. What we see on the big screen should be produced in what used to be the world’s movie capital. Let’s make it happen.
As you may recall, last year Trump had threatened to impose 100% tariffs on American films shot and produced outside the United States. Many had tried to deter him from such a drastic idea, urging him instead to pursue a tax credit. Numerous Democrats worked to bring about this outcome, but the Republicans were waiting for a sign from Donald Trump, or more precisely from the White House, willing to commit to the cause personally. Now the Motion Picture Association (which includes the six major U.S. studios) can breathe a sigh of relief, and Chief Executive Charles Rivkin felt compelled to thank Donald Trump:
For more than a century, American studios, casts, and crews have produced the films and TV series the world wants to see. A federal incentive would be a crucial step toward ensuring that more productions engage workers from all 50 states, strengthening our nation’s economy and making this country a more competitive place to produce, invent, and tell great stories. We applaud the President’s support for this vital undertaking and look forward to continuing to work with the White House and bipartisan congressional leaders to turn a meaningful and effective national incentive into law.
We are well aware of how the film industry, and not just in the United States, has been undermined by streaming platforms, especially during the Covid years, and the trend of watching a movie on a computer, tablet, or even on a smartphone screen is growing stronger. Also on Truth Social, Trump spoke of an ambassador for Hollywood, alongside Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson, who helped him develop this new idea under the rallying cry “Make Hollywood Great Again!”
He is a fantastic man who loves our country and cares deeply about the film and television industries. He hates what happened and how it drained their energy. It moved to Canada and other countries, and here in the United States work has become scarce. Hollywood is a complete and total disaster. Despite the name, there is very little work, and this is severely harming California.
Given this unexpected pivot by the Trump administration, we are very curious to see what will unfold. After all, Hollywood remains Hollywood—the Mecca of the seventh art. It deserves to reclaim its former glory.
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