Melania Trump's $75m Documentary Premieres Amid Controversy Over $28m Payday
The world premiere of Melania, a high-budget documentary about the first lady's return to the White House, took place on Thursday evening at Washington's John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Donald and Melania Trump walked a charcoal-coloured carpet beneath a stark black-and-white backdrop bearing her name, fielding questions from reporters in a carefully orchestrated media moment.
Unprecedented Access or Vanity Project?
The film, which chronicles the twenty days leading up to the January 2025 inauguration, has been billed as an "unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look" at one of Washington's most elusive figures. However, critics have dismissed the production as a $75 million vanity project with questionable box office prospects. The documentary promises rare access to Melania Trump, who has maintained a notably low profile during her husband's second term in office.
When asked by a reporter whether he believed he'd be the same man without having met his wife, President Trump smiled and called it "a very dangerous question" before praising Melania without directly answering. The first lady herself responded cautiously to the same query, suggesting "we will all be in different places" before nervously turning to her husband for confirmation.
Record-Breaking Financial Deal Raises Eyebrows
The financial scale of the project has generated significant scrutiny. According to people familiar with the arrangement:
- Amazon MGM Studios paid a record $40 million to license the film and related docuseries for its Prime Video platform
- An additional $35 million was allocated for promotion and distribution
- The Wall Street Journal reported that Melania Trump will personally receive $28 million from the deal
This substantial expenditure has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, particularly given that Amazon's founder and chair, Jeff Bezos, contributed to Trump's inaugural fund last year. Both Amazon and director Brett Ratner have rejected suggestions that the project was designed to curry favour with the administration.
Marketing Blitz and Industry Skepticism
The documentary has been marketed with the intensity of a Hollywood blockbuster rather than a discreet political portrait. The promotional campaign included:
- Television advertisements during NFL playoff games
- Billboards across major US cities
- A promotional video projected on the exterior of Las Vegas's Sphere
- Advertising placements in London's Piccadilly Circus this week
The film opened on approximately 1,700 screens across the United States and Canada on Friday, with releases planned for about twenty-five territories beyond North America. Box office analysts project an opening weekend of up to $5 million, though industry professionals remain skeptical about its artistic merit.
Historical Precedent and Political Commentary
Historians have noted that the film represents an unprecedented commercial venture for a sitting first lady. Traditionally, presidents and their spouses have avoided such undertakings while in office to prevent conflicts of interest. This contrasts sharply with previous first ladies:
- Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama both waited until after their White House years to publish memoirs
- Michelle Obama's Becoming became the fastest-selling memoir of all time
- Jill Biden continued teaching English at a community college, earning $85,985 in 2023 according to tax returns
Political commentator Kurt Bardella observed: "I can only imagine what Republicans would have said had first lady Hillary Clinton, first lady Michelle Obama, first lady Jill Biden been paid somewhere between $30m and $40m by a Hollywood studio to allow a documentary."
Melania's Motivations and Editorial Control
Author Mary Jordan, who wrote The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump, suggested the first lady's primary motivations were "money, money and money." However, she noted another significant factor: editorial control. "It has always bothered her when people wrote about her," Jordan explained. "She has said several times, 'Only I know my truth, only I know my story.'"
Melania Trump has been closely involved in the film's development for over a year, according to her advisers. The documentary highlights her policy interests, including:
- Child welfare initiatives
- Online safety legislation
- Foster-care reform
- Artificial intelligence and education work within the administration
The first lady told journalists at the premiere: "I want to show the audience my life – what it takes to be a first lady again. It's beautiful, it's emotional, it's fashionable, it's cinematic and I'm very proud of it."
A Different Second Term
Observers note that Melania Trump's second term as first lady differs markedly from her first. Jordan commented: "In the first term, people were always wondering if she was this damsel in distress... You don't have any of that this time. She is making it very clear that she's independent and that is something she's always wanted."
The documentary's official trailer opens on inauguration day, showing Melania in a navy wide-brimmed hat at the US Capitol before cutting to scenes where she advises the president on his inaugural address, urging him to strike the tone of a "peacemaker and unifier." At one moment she looks directly into the camera and remarks drily: "Here we go again."
As the film begins its theatrical run, questions remain about whether audiences will embrace this intimate portrait or view it as another example of what critics describe as the venal spirit of Trump's second administration.
