President Donald Trump’s push to bring film and television production back to the United States has won rare praise from a coalition of entertainment industry unions, including the actors’ union led by Sean Astin.
Astin, who serves as president of SAG-AFTRA and is known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, and Stranger Things, joined other union leaders in applauding Trump’s recent call for federal production incentives. The endorsement was reported by The Independent, which noted that SAG-AFTRA, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and Teamsters Local 399—three unions representing Southern California entertainment workers—issued a joint statement supporting the president’s proposal.
“Calling for federal production incentives is exactly what the entertainment industry needs,” the statement said, with Astin and SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland singling out Trump’s “vocal and determined leadership” on the issue.
Trump’s Truth Social Call to Congress
The president made his appeal on Monday via Truth Social, urging lawmakers from both parties to act quickly to save the American entertainment industry.
“I am going to suggest that Republicans and Democrats get together, and immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America,” Trump wrote.
He added: “Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America. It can be done quickly, accurately, efficiently and, importantly, will benefit ALL of America. What we watch on the Silver Screen should be made in what was once the Movie and Motion Picture Capital of the World. Let’s get this done!”
Unions Cite Loss of Productions and Jobs
The unions argue that U.S. productions and thousands of jobs have been lost to countries offering more competitive tax incentives, particularly Canada and the United Kingdom. The industry is also facing growing challenges from artificial intelligence and foreign competition, making the fight for domestic production incentives more urgent.
The president’s call comes exactly one year after he threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on films made offshore—a warning that prompted industry insiders to push for tax credits on par with those offered by other countries.
A Broad Alliance with Trump
The support from these major unions represents a notable moment of alignment between the entertainment labor force and the Trump administration, which has often clashed with Hollywood over policy and politics. The joint statement signals that, at least on the issue of production incentives, the unions see Trump as an ally in their efforts to keep production work and jobs in the U.S.
According to The Independent, the unions are now urging Congress to act on Trump’s proposal, emphasizing the need for a federal incentive program to stem the loss of productions to foreign shores.
No further details have been released about the legislative timeline or the specific structure of the proposed incentive, but the president’s insistence on bipartisanship suggests he hopes to move the measure forward with support from both parties.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/03/actors-union-president-sean-astin-praises-trumps-leadership-on-tax-incentives-for-u-s-film-production/