Washington: US President Donald Trump has called for urgent federal action to revive America’s film and television industry, describing Hollywood as a “complete and total disaster” following a meeting with veteran actor and Hollywood Ambassador Jon Voight.
Trump said film and television production has increasingly shifted to Canada and other countries, where attractive financial incentives have drawn major productions away from traditional US production hubs. He argued that the trend is hurting California and other states by reducing entertainment-related jobs and economic activity.
According to Trump, Voight and other industry representatives have advocated for federal tax incentives to encourage studios to bring productions back to the United States. Trump said such incentives could ultimately generate substantially higher tax revenues for the government through increased domestic production and employment.
Trump is urging Republicans and Democrats in Congress to work together on legislation creating a federal production incentive for film and television projects made in America. He stressed that the proposal should receive bipartisan support and be approved quickly.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns within the US entertainment industry over the migration of production to countries offering competitive tax credits. Industry groups, including the Motion Picture Association and major entertainment unions, have expressed support for a national incentive program.
Trump’s latest push marks a renewed effort to make the United States more competitive as a global production destination and restore entertainment jobs that have moved overseas.
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