“I Can’t Wait To Not Watch It”: Here’s What People Have To Say About Melania Trump’s New Documentary

Critics and detractors have erupted online after the first trailer dropped for MELANIA, a new documentary centered on First Lady Melania Trump, with reactions ranging from bafflement to outright revulsion.

The backlash began almost immediately after Fox News released the exclusive first look at the film, which is set to chronicle a narrow 20-day window leading up to Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. 

For many viewers, the issue was not just what the trailer showed, but why the film exists at all.

“Melania is promoting a film about Melania, while Melania is still the First Lady. The grift never ends,” one critic wrote.

Melania Trump was roasted online after releasing the first trailer for her documentary as the First Lady

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“These people have no class, no modicum of humbleness,” another added. “They live only to satisfy and aggrandize themselves.”

Even users who described themselves as politically neutral questioned the premise, wondering what new insight could possibly be offered by a self-produced film about a sitting first lady.

“I would rather watch my legs get put through a meat grinder,” a detractor wrote.

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The 104-minute documentary is scheduled for a global theatrical release on January 30, 2026. 

According to Fox News, the film will open in theaters across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions. Amazon will also launch a related documentary series in the months that follow.

Image credits: Amazon MGM Studios

The trailer reveals that the project was filmed over 20 days in January and frames that period as historically significant.

“History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration,” the FLOTUS said. 

“For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold, a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.”

Critics took issue with the documentary’s framing of Trump’s second term as a historic moment

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The trailer opens with Melania walking into the US Capitol rotunda ahead of the inauguration. Looking directly at the camera in her now familiar inauguration outfit, she says, “Here we go again.”

The footage then cuts between the inauguration ceremony, scenes at Mar a Lago, behind the scenes moments featuring her son Baron Trump and her father, sweeping shots of Air Force One, the presidential seal, and a dramatic appearance by the MGM lion.

Image credits: Amazon MGM Studios

In one scene, Donald Trump rehearses a speech at a podium. “My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker,” he says, before Melania interjects, “Peacemaker and unifier.”

The trailer continues with carefully staged visuals of the first lady stepping out of a vehicle in black stiletto boots, entering the East Wing residence, and smiling at the camera in her white and black inaugural ball gown. 

Text on screen invites viewers to “witness history in the making.”

Amazon and MGM reportedly paid $40 million for the license to the Melania documentary

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While the film promises unprecedented access, critics argue the trailer offers little substance about Melania Trump herself. Instead, they say it leans heavily on symbolism, fashion, power, and spectacle.

Melania Trump was reportedly involved “in every aspect” of the production. She served as a producer and closely oversaw post-production marketing.

Image credits: Amazon MGM Studios

The idea for the project reportedly took shape in November 2024, shortly after Donald Trump won the election.

Negotiations with studios began on November 18, 2024, led by Melania Trump’s agent and exclusive senior advisor, Marc Beckman. Disney, Netflix, and Paramount all pursued the project before Amazon and MGM secured the rights.

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Amazon and MGM ultimately paid $40 million for the license, a figure described as the largest documentary deal in history. Beckman pushed back on reports suggesting Amazon wildly outbid competitors.

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“I’ve seen reporting that Amazon paid nearly three times the nearest other bid, and that’s just false,” Beckman said. “It was an incredibly competitive bidding process with multiple rounds of bids.”

The film was directed by Brett Ratner, a director previously accused by six women of misconduct

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Filming began in December 2024. The film is executive produced by Melania Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director.

Ratner’s involvement was a contentious point for critics.

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The director, best known for X Men The Last Stand, has not released a major project since multiple allegations of misconduct were made against him in 2017.

During the Me Too movement, six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, publicly accused the filmmaker of forcing himself on them and exposing them to inappropriate acts.

Image credits: Amazon MGM Studios

The timing of the documentary has also drawn intense scrutiny, and not just because it follows the release of Melania Trump’s memoir, Melania, which has remained a New York Times best seller for more than a year. 

Critics argue the Trumps seem to be monetizing every aspect of the presidency, with an array of branded products stretching far beyond a single film.

Detractors point to an expanding roster of presidential merchandise, from holiday ornaments and luxury golden cellphones to limited-edition shoes and even cryptocurrency, each sold under the Trump name.

“Is this real?” Netizens expressed their confusion over the film on social media

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