Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president casually revealed that he has only viewed parts of the film, a remark that immediately stood out given the scale of the project and the effort surrounding its launch.
“I’ve seen pieces of it,” Trump said.
.@POTUS on the upcoming ‘Melania’ film: “I’ve seen pieces of it. It’s incredible… It seems to be captivating a lot of people’s attention… Everybody wants tickets to the premiere.” pic.twitter.com/hxmzkkCBwQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 12, 2026
The documentary, which Amazon reportedly funded with $40 million, follows Melania during the 20 days leading up to Trump’s second inauguration and is being promoted as an intimate look at the first lady during a major political moment.
Trump attempted to soften his admission by praising the film, calling it “incredible” and predicting it will do “very well,” while also pointing to Melania’s past success as an author whose book reached No. 1 on the bestseller list.
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Even so, his remarks left an awkward gap between promotion and personal involvement.
The president confirmed the premiere will be held at the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center, describing the event as “very exciting,” although a specific date has not been announced.
The conversation then drifted as Trump unexpectedly brought up Wayne Gretzky, explaining that the former hockey star and his wife had expressed interest in attending, before adding that demand for tickets was already high.
“It’s a very hot ticket,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, public interest in the film has grown online, with the trailer surpassing 10 million views on YouTube and opening with Melania looking into the camera on inauguration day and saying, “Here we go again.”
One scene in the preview now feels especially notable, showing Melania on the phone with her husband as he asks, “Did you watch it?” and she replies, “I did not. Yeah, I will see it on the news.”
That brief exchange takes on new weight following Trump’s own comments.
The film was directed by Brett Ratner, whose career slowed after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and harassment, allegations he has denied, and his involvement has drawn criticism from several public figures.
Joy Behar summed it up bluntly when she said, “If he had somebody direct it who didn’t have a record in some kind of sexual assault, I would be surprised.”
Amazon’s role has also been questioned, particularly after founder Jeff Bezos donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration in 2024 and later backed the Melania project, leading some to view the documentary as something more than entertainment.
Former Trump administration official Miles Taylor described it as lobbying, while Tommy Vietor argued that Amazon paid “$40 million” for content that could have been produced internally.
Featured image via X screengrab
