Trump Urges Congress to Pass Film Tax Incentive
The President called on lawmakers to enact a federal 20% tax incentive for film and television production during the lame duck session.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Film — General
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Should Congress pass a federal tax incentive to bring film and TV production back?
President Donald Trump urged Congress to pass the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, which would create a federal 20% tax incentive for film and television production. In a Truth Social post on November 13, 2026, Trump named a bipartisan group of senators and representatives he said support the measure.
Why it matters
Trump said the entertainment industry has moved production to other countries that offer tax incentives, and the proposal aims to bring that work back to the United States. Supporters have released their own studies claiming the incentives will restore economic activity to states, though the Joint Committee on Taxation has not yet released its cost estimate.
The proposal sets a federal incentive rate of 20% for film and television production. The Joint Committee on Taxation has not released a cost estimate, and the claimed tenfold return to the Treasury has not been independently verified.
The players
Donald Trump
The 47th President of the United States, who has publicly championed the film and television tax incentive and urged Congress to act on it.
Joint Committee on Taxation
A nonpartisan joint committee of the U.S. Congress that provides official revenue and cost estimates for proposed tax legislation.
The details
Trump posted on Truth Social in support of the legislation and named Senators Tim Scott, Adam Schiff, John Cornyn, Raphael Warnock, Steve Daines, Bernie Moreno, Tim Sheehy, Alex Padilla, Mark Warner, Thom Tillis, Chris Coons, Katie Britt, and Dick Durbin, along with Representatives Jason Smith, Nathaniel Moran, Brian Jack, and Linda Sanchez, as supporters. Supporters have proposed attaching the legislation to end-of-year funding legislation, and Trump said meetings are being set up with leaders of both parties.
Timeline
November 13, 2026: Trump posts urging Congress to pass the incentive legislation.
Remaining weeks of 2026 lame duck session: Republicans focus on other priorities before new lawmakers are sworn in.
End of 2026: The incentive may be attached to a year-end funding bill.
Industry Dynamics
The proposal is a federal response to production moving toward Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, which have offered tax credits to attract Hollywood work. It positions the United States to compete directly with those incentive programs in the ongoing global competition for film and television production.
If enacted, the incentive could affect where film and television productions are filmed, which may influence the number of shoots and the types of content available in the United States. The proposal has not yet passed, so no change to viewing options or ticket access has taken effect.
The takeaway
The proposal's fate depends on whether it can be attached to year-end legislation and whether its projected revenue return holds up once the official cost estimate is released.
What happens next
Congress has not yet acted on the legislation, and the Joint Committee on Taxation's cost estimate is still pending; supporters have floated attaching the measure to a year-end funding bill before the end of 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on how the industry is shifting, explore more Film — General coverage.
Live Poll
Should Congress pass a federal tax incentive to bring film and TV production back?
