Jeff Bezos defended the documentary Melania, a production distributed by Amazon MGM Studios about the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, and described the project as a “good business decision”
During an interview with CNBC, the Amazon founder denied having taken part directly in the film’s negotiation and pushed back against rumors that the deal had been an attempt to move politically closer to Donald Trump. According to Bezos, the story that Melania personally presented the idea during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago is “a falsehood that won’t die.”
“We denied it, Melania’s office denied it. It’s not true, I had nothing to do with it. By the way, it seems like it was a good business decision,” Bezos told Andrew Ross Sorkin, host of Squawk Box.
Despite Bezos’ comment, the feature directed by Brett Ratner grossed around US$ 16 million at the worldwide box office, a figure considered low compared with the project’s total costs, given that Amazon spent around US$ 35 million on licensing alone, in addition to another US$ 40 million on marketing.
For a documentary, however, that figure is a major success. By comparison, the highest-grossing documentary of 2025, Becoming Led Zeppelin, ended its global run with US$ 16 million, while 2024’s top earner, Am I Racist, closed its tally at US$ 12.3 million.
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The project drew criticism from the moment it was announced, both because of the high amount involved and because of Ratner’s participation, as he returned to filmmaking after years away from the industry amid allegations of sexual misconduct. There were also questions about the growing closeness between major technology companies and the Trump administration.
Photos: Creative Commons / Public domain. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
