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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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President Donald Trump says he is working with Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California—a longtime political adversary who led Trump’s first impeachment trial—on a bipartisan push to establish new federal tax credits for film and television productions made primarily in the United States.
The proposed Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act aims to counter foreign tax incentives that have drawn entertainment jobs away from Hollywood and other U.S. production hubs.
Newsweek contacted Schiff for comment on Saturday by email outside of regular office hours.
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Trump Backs Bipartisan Effort
In a post Friday on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced he is working with a coalition of lawmakers to advance the legislation, which was introduced in Congress in September.
“I am working with Senator Tim Scott and, believe it or not, Senator Adam Schiff, and, additionally, Senators John Cornyn, Raphael Warnock, Steve Daines, Bernie Moreno, Tim Sheehy, Alex Padilla, Mark Warner, Thom Tillis, Chris Coons, Katie Britt, and Dick Durbin, together with Representatives Jason Smith, Nathaniel Moran, Brian Jack, Linda Sanchez, and many others, both Republican and Democrat, on the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act,” the president wrote.
Trump said Hollywood had been “emptied out” by “Tax Incentives, and much more, given by other Countries” signaling out Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia as having taken jobs in the entertainment industry.
He added the bill is a “very Bipartisan undertaking, especially in that so much of the money being lost to other countries is coming out of the Blue States” and said he hopes “Republicans and Democrats will get together” to pass the legislation.
Trump wrote the film and television industries were “MADE IN AMERICA, and must STAY IN AMERICA” adding support for the new legislation had been “unbelievable.”
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What the Legislation Would Do
The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act was introduced in the Senate on September 24 by Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina alongside Schiff, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn and Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock. It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
Key provisions of the bill include:
- Tax Credits: A new 20 percent federal tax credit for American labor expenses, with the potential to increase to 30 percent with certain bonuses.
- Eligibility Requirements: Productions must have a budget exceeding $1 million and conduct at least 75 percent of their principal photography days in the U.S.
- Post-Production: Expenses for post-production and visual effects would qualify if at least 75 percent of those costs are incurred domestically.
Trump previously suggested he could introduce tariffs of 100 percent on films made abroad, a move that some industry analysts have warned could trigger retaliatory measures against American entertainment exports.
An Unlikely Alliance
Schiff shared screenshots of Trump’s Truth Social post on Friday, highlighting the mention of their collaboration.
“We shouldn’t wait until January to get things done, when there is a bipartisan opportunity to create jobs in this country right now,” the senator wrote on X. “President Trump and I agree: it's time for Congress to pass a federal film tax incentive. Let's get this done!”
The partnership marks a sharp departure from the pair's contentious history. In 2019, Schiff, then a House Democrat and chair of the House Intelligence Committee, spearheaded the first impeachment inquiry against Trump over allegations that the president withheld military aid to Ukraine to pressure Kyiv into investigating Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Trump denied wrongdoing.
Following the House's vote to impeach in December 2019, Schiff served as the lead House impeachment manager during the Senate trial in early 2020, which ended in Trump’s acquittal. Throughout the proceedings, Trump frequently attacked Schiff, labeling him “shifty Schiff” and a “lowlife,” and accusing him of treason.
Pressures on Hollywood
The bipartisan push comes amid a sustained downturn in domestic filming. According to FilmLA data reviewed by the Los Angeles Times, on-location shoot days in Los Angeles dropped by nearly 50 percent since 2019.
Federal labor data shows employment in the Los Angeles film and sound recording sector fell by 57,000 jobs over the last four years, while production resource company ACME Directory reported that more than 80 local production service businesses closed between 2022 and 2025.
Meanwhile, international production hubs have expanded. According to the British Film Institute, spending on film and high-end television production in the United Kingdom reached $6.9 billion in 2024, a 31 percent increase from the previous year.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Daniel Orton and Anthony Murray.
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