Jon Voight previously met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to push a federal tax incentive aimed at reviving domestic film production and saving Hollywood jobs.
Page A10From§Eachthe early evening edition — 31 August 2026
Trump diagnoses Hollywood as disaster, prescribes federal tax credits, Voight consults
As it ran on the front
Hollywood, once the crown jewel of American culture, has apparently fallen on hard times—at least according to the president and his confidant, Mr. Voight. The official diagnosis: total disaster. The official prescription: a federal tax incentive, delivered with the urgency of a blockbuster release date. This reporter was told, in no uncertain terms, that the survival of Hollywood depends on Washington's largesse—never mind the box office receipts or the studio mergers.
The argument goes: if Hollywood is suffering, surely the government should step in and save it, just as it would any other industry deemed 'essential.' Some say this is merely a handout to the wealthy, but the defenders insist it's about jobs. Did I mention that the president himself is personally invested in the outcome? That can't possibly sway the calculus. Of course, the only people who seem to benefit are the ones with the best seats in the house—those already in the front row. The rest of us get to watch the credits roll on our tax dollars.…
…(cont) But wait—if Hollywood is a disaster, why are we funding it? If the industry needs a rescue, shouldn't the money go to the workers, not the producers? That question, much like the third act twist, remains unresolved. And so, we return to the familiar refrain: incentives for those who already have the incentive to stay. Did I say 'disaster'? I meant 'opportunity.' Or maybe they're the same thing, depending on who's writing the script.
“You call Hollywood a disaster, then hand out tax breaks to fix it, with the guy from 'Anaconda' in the room. That's not a policy—it's a script rewrite. The only thing getting rescued is a studio ledger, not your kid's school budget.”
“Hollywood is a vital American industry, and incentives are necessary for its survival. I mean, who else will make movies about heroes like us? If we don't support them, who will? Did I say 'disaster'? I meant 'opportunity.' Wait, that's what I said. Incentives are good, unless they're for something I don't like.”
The receipts
President Donald Trump on Monday pressed Congress to pass federal tax breaks to revive the U.S.’s film industry, after speaking with his “special ambassador” to Hollywood, actor Jon Voight. Trump revealed he had a “great” meeting with the…
President Trump called on Congress to quickly approve a nationwide tax incentive for film and television production, throwing his weight behind a rare bipartisan push to lure entertainment jobs back to the US.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.