Politics · United States · 35 mins ago
Trump Pitches Film and TV Tax Bill During US Flight Ground Stop
A communications outage prompted a nationwide US flight ground stop on Friday, after an issue affected the air traffic control system.
The cause was not known, and the homeland security secretary said the outage was not a terrorist attack.
President Donald Trump used the moment to promote a film and TV tax incentive bill on social media rather than publicly address the flight disruption.
The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act would offer a 20% incentive to encourage production in the United States, according to one account.
The bill has bipartisan support but may stall in Congress, where lawmakers are weighing other priorities and the cost of the incentives; an official estimate has not yet been released.
Trump said meetings with leaders of both parties were being arranged to try to move the legislation forward.
The FAA imposed a rare nationwide ground stop on Friday after a telecommunications outage affected air traffic control.
President Donald Trump promoted a federal film and television tax incentive on Truth Social while he had not publicly addressed the flight shutdown.
The proposed Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act has bipartisan support, Trump said.
Trump argued the tax incentives would bring entertainment jobs back to the United States and repay their cost through increased Treasury revenue.
The Cato Institute estimated the bill could cost between $33 billion and $49 billion, while supporters have cited studies projecting economic benefits.
- Who
- President Donald Trump promoted the bill; the FAA imposed the ground stop.
- What
- Trump urged support for a federal film and television tax incentive as flights across the United States were grounded.
- When
- Friday, November 13, 2026.
- Where
- The ground stop affected flights across the United States; Trump posted on Truth Social.
- Why
- A telecommunications outage affected the air traffic control system. Trump said the bill would help bring entertainment production and jobs back to the United States.
Bill supporters
Cato Institute
Potential economic impact
Bill supporters
Trump said the incentives would help bring entertainment production back to the United States and that their cost would be repaid tenfold.
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute estimated the bill would cost between $33 billion and $49 billion.
The FAA announced a nationwide ground stop after a telecommunications outage affected the air traffic control system.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said FAA technicians were investigating a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Trump promoted the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act on Truth Social.
- Ground stop
- Nationwide across the United States
- Outage
- Telecommunications issue affecting the air traffic control system
- Bill
- Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act
- Cato Institute estimate
- $33 billion to $49 billion in costs
- Trump's post
- Truth Social
3 sources
Trump Stays Mum on FAA Grounded Flight Crisis, Questionably Touts Hollywood Business Bill Instead
Trump Hasn’t Commented on Nationwide Flight Shutdown, But He’s Promoting the Federal Film Incentive
Donald Trump Urges Congress To Pass Federal Film & TV Tax Incentive Amid Worries Bill Will Languish: “Get This Done!”
What people are saying
This isn’t another 9/11. This is a telecommunication outage.
It was MADE IN AMERICA, and must STAY IN AMERICA
The amount of money spent on these Tax Incentives will be made up tenfold by the money pouring into the Treasury’s coffers.
Posts on X
The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.