The Motion Picture Association (MPA) along with several Hollywood unions penned an open letter with Trump ambassador Jon Voight urging the president to enact federal tax credits that could revitalize film and TV production in the United States.
While the letter made no mention of the president’s 100% tariffs on films produced outside the country, it did thank him for supporting the industry’s “shared goal” of domestic production.
“We appreciate and thank you for the support you have shown our industry. We also appreciate your understanding of the need to increase domestic film and television production to bring back American jobs,” the letter obtained by TheWrap read.
The letter than asked the president to support the renewal to three sections of the U.S. tax code that “entertainment industry lobbyists have routinely pushed for during past presidencies,” per TheWrap.
An individual with knowledge of the MPA’s talks tells TheWrap that these tax code renewals were touched upon during the organization’s meeting last week with member studios. Such renewals, which are a common request from lobbyists of a wide range of industries, are seen as a low-effort way to help boost U.S. production instead of more dramatic changes like a new nationwide tax credit as proposed by Voight, which would require bipartisan Congressional support.
Section 181 was first passed by Congress and approved by President George W. Bush in 2004 and has been renewed ever since with regular support from the MPA and unions, though the unions are now requesting for the cap on that tax credit to double to $30 million with an extra increase to $40 million for shoots in low-income areas.
The letter also requests the revival of two tax code sections that previously expired: Section 199, which allows for reduced corporate tax rates for filmmaking and other forms of manufacturing in the U.S., and Section 461, which allows companies to carry back their net operating losses to lighten their taxes.
As Breitbart News reported recently, the president proposed putting “a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.”
“The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” he wrote on TruthSocial. “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
The president later said that he wants to “help the industry” and would meet with Hollywood insiders to work out a deal.
“I’m not looking to hurt the industry; I want to help the industry,” he said. “We’re going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure they’re happy with it, because we’re all about jobs.”
.@POTUS on tariffing the film industry: "Our film industry has been decimated by other countries... It's an industry now that's abandoned the USA where it started, and we'll get it back." pic.twitter.com/Ff3m9TFghi
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2025
Jon Voight, one of the president’s ambassadors in Hollywood, issued a comprehensive plan to the president.
“The plan includes federal incentives for production and post-production, co-production treaties with foreign countries as well as infrastructure subsidies for theater owners and production companies, job training, and changes to the tax code. The plan also calls for tariffs in ‘certain limited circumstances,’” reported Variety.
“The President loves the entertainment business and this country, and he will help us make Hollywood great again,” Voight said in a statement.
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube, Tubi, or Fawesome TV. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
