Alright, folks, buckle up, because this story has everything—power, money, Hollywood, and, of course, the Trumps. First Lady Melania Trump has reportedly inked a jaw-dropping $40 million deal with Amazon for the rights to a documentary about her life. And when the dust settles, she’s set to walk away with at least $28 million from the agreement. Yeah, you read that right—twenty-eight million dollars.
Now, if that wasn’t enough to turn heads, the First Lady is also reportedly shopping around sponsorship deals for the film, according to the “Wall Street Journal”. And these aren’t your typical “buy an ad slot” deals—no, no. If you’re a blue-chip CEO and you want your name acknowledged in the film’s credits, you’d better be ready to cough up a cool $10 million. But wait, there’s more! That sponsorship also gets you an invite to the documentary’s exclusive premiere. Talk about high-stakes networking.
So how did this all come together? Well, let’s rewind a bit. This deal reportedly took shape just weeks after Jeff Bezos—yes, “that” Jeff Bezos—had dinner with the Trumps at Mar-a-Lago. That’s right, the Amazon founder and longtime Washington Post owner, who hasn’t exactly been best friends with President Trump, was suddenly sitting down for dinner with him and the First Lady in December. And guess what?
A few weeks later, Amazon announced it had won the bidding war for the documentary, paying an eye-popping $40 million—three times higher than the next-best offer. Paramount, for example, apparently thought they could lowball with a $4 million bid, while Disney came in stronger with $14 million. Netflix and Apple? They didn’t even bother.
And here’s where things get even more interesting—Bezos, who just a few weeks earlier had blocked “The Washington Post” from endorsing Trump’s Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, also quietly pledged $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. Coincidence? Maybe. But in the high-stakes world of politics, media, and big business, coincidences are usually just deals waiting to be uncovered.
To make sure the documentary had Hollywood-level shine, Melania reportedly brought in none other than Brett Ratner—yes, the guy behind the “Rush Hour” movies, “Red Dragon”, and “X-Men: The Last Stand”. Ratner, who’s been largely absent from Hollywood since his name surfaced in the #MeToo movement, was tapped to help sell the project. And by all accounts, he helped seal the deal.
Amazon insists they shelled out the massive sum for one reason: “We think customers are going to love it.” Sure, that’s the official line. But with a record-breaking $40 million price tag, it’s hard not to wonder what else might be at play.
And if you think this is the only big payday for the Trumps, think again. Since President Trump’s return to the White House, businesses have reportedly funneled around $80 million to the Trump family and the Trump presidential library.
That includes high-profile lawsuit settlements—like Meta for $25 million, ABC News for $15 million, and Elon Musk’s X for $10 million. Even Paramount is in talks over a possible settlement for a lawsuit Trump filed over a “60 Minutes” interview with Harris.
Of course, ethics watchdogs aren’t exactly thrilled. Critics argue that Trump is monetizing his presidency even more aggressively this time around, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. But whether you love or loathe the Trumps, one thing’s for sure: when it comes to playing the game of power, influence, and money, they know exactly what they’re doing. And in this latest chapter, Melania Trump just scored “big”.
