Melania Trump’s documentary premieres at the Kennedy Center ahead of global release

Melania Trump is giving the public a rare glimpse into her private world through a new documentary chronicling her return to the White House. The film, simply titled “Melania,” premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center in Washington before its global theatrical release in over 1,500 theaters on Friday.

“I want to show the audience my life, what it takes to be a first lady again and the transition from private citizen back to the White House,” Mrs. Trump told reporters at the premiere, which drew Cabinet members, congressional representatives, and conservative commentators. The documentary covers the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s return to office and offers insight into her businesses, philanthropy, family life, and the formation of her White House team.

“It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic and I’m very proud of it,” she said of the film, which was produced by AmazonMGM Studios for a reported $40 million. After its theatrical run, the documentary will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

Director Brett Ratner downplayed expectations about the film’s commercial performance. “It’s a documentary and documentaries historically have not been huge box office smashes,” he noted. “You can’t expect a documentary to play in theaters.”

President Trump, who first viewed the nearly two-hour film during a private White House screening last weekend, praised it as “really great” and said it “brings back a glamour that you just don’t see anymore.”

The documentary represents an unprecedented venture for a sitting first lady. Experts note that while former presidents and their spouses typically wait until leaving office to pursue major media or publishing deals, the Trumps have consistently broken with tradition.

“As far as I know, she’s the first first lady to be paid a lot of money to have a documentary made about her and it is unprecedented in terms of the Trumps because they are always breaking precedent,” said Katherine Jellison, professor emerita of history at Ohio University.

When questioned about the financial arrangement, Mrs. Trump referenced the post-presidency book deal secured by Barack and Michelle Obama. Marc Beckman, her longtime senior adviser, defended the project, pointing out that she was a private citizen when Amazon announced the film in January 2025 and that she receives no salary as first lady. “So why should we limit her?” he argued.

The film also represents another connection between the Trumps and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has worked to improve relations with the president after previous tensions. Mrs. Trump noted that Amazon was selected after a bidding process because “they agreed to do theatrical releases.”

The documentary marks Ratner’s first project since facing sexual misconduct allegations during the early #MeToo movement. His lawyer has denied those allegations.

In a promotional teaser for the film, Mrs. Trump is shown on Inauguration Day inside the Capitol awaiting her entrance to the Rotunda ceremony. Looking directly at the camera, she says simply, “Here we go again.”

Public perception of the 55-year-old first lady remains mixed. A CNN poll from January 2025 revealed that about 4 in 10 American adults had no opinion of her or hadn’t heard of her, while approximately 3 in 10 viewed her favorably and a similar proportion unfavorably. Among Republicans, her standing was stronger, with about 70% expressing favorable views.

“I think it’s an attempt, in a way, to really augment or tailor or really refine her image for the American public,” said Katherine Sibley, a history professor at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “She’s a mystery to the American people.”

Despite her preference for privacy, Mrs. Trump has been actively engaged in various initiatives during her first year back in the White House. She successfully advocated for the “Take It Down Act,” which criminalizes the non-consensual sharing of intimate images online. President Trump not only signed the legislation but invited her to sign it as well.

Her “Fostering the Future” program, established through an executive order, builds on her “Be Best” initiative from the first Trump administration. She has also been involved in international efforts, writing to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding children separated from their families due to the Ukraine war. Following her husband’s delivery of the letter during a meeting in Alaska, she announced that eight children had been reunited with their families.

While Mrs. Trump embraces traditional first lady duties such as planning state dinners, hosting the annual Easter Egg Roll, and overseeing Christmas decorations, she has indicated plans to expand her impact. At a White House Christmas reception, she revealed she is developing a new legislative initiative for 2026, though details remain undisclosed.