{"id":324,"date":"2026-05-20T15:06:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=324"},"modified":"2026-05-20T15:06:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:06:54","slug":"jeff-bezos-defends-melania-documentary-as-a-very-good-business-decision-denies-it-was-a-way-of-buying-influence-with-trump-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=324","title":{"rendered":"Jeff Bezos Defends \u2018Melania\u2019 Documentary as a \u2018Very Good Business Decision,\u2019 Denies It Was a \u2018Way of Buying Influence\u2019 With Trump Administration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nJeff Bezos insists that Amazon MGM Studios\u2019 decision to acquire and release \u201cMelania,\u201d a documentary about the First Lady, was smart business \u2014 and not an attempt to curry favor with her husband.<\/p>\n

Read more Sophie Thatcher on Making \u2018Her Private Hell,\u2019 How Nicolas Winding Refn Became the \u2018Cool Dad I Never Had\u2019 and Wanting to Work With More European Directors: \u2018I Don\u2019t Want to Be Safe\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tIn an interview Wednesday on CNBC\u2019s \u201cSquawk Box,\u201d the Amazon founder was asked about whether the company acquired \u201cMelania\u201d as an attempt to gain influence with the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe \u2018Melania\u2019 thing is a falsehood that will not die,\u201d Bezos said, adding, \u201cI see it reported all the time that somehow I was involved in this\u201d but that \u201cI had nothing to do with that.\u201d Bezos stepped down as Amazon\u2019s CEO in 2021 and currently serves as the ecommerce giant\u2019s executive chairman.<\/p>\n

\n\tBezos continued, \u201cBy the way, it appears it was a good business decision. It did very well in theaters. It\u2019s done very well on streaming. People are very curious about Melania. So even though I had nothing to do with it, it appears that the Amazon team made a very wise business decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the CNBC interview, the multibillionaire said that it\u2019s \u201cjust not correct\u201d to say Amazon\u2019s deal for \u201cMelania\u201d was \u201ca way of buying influence\u201d \u2014 although he did concede, \u201cI can see why people say this.\u201d Said Bezos, \u201cWe have denied it. Melania\u2019s office has denied it. It\u2019s not true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018The Looking Glass Wars\u2019 Video Game Set as Author Frank Beddor Plots Musical, TV Series Adaptations (EXCLUSIVE)<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tAmazon MGM paid $40 million to acquire \u201cMelania\u201d and another $35 million to market the move \u2014 unusually high for a documentary film. \u201cMelania\u201d grossed about $16.6 million at the theatrical box office worldwide \u2014 an impressive result for a documentary but nowhere close to recouping the original investment.<\/p>\n

\n\tAmong those criticizing the studio\u2019s deal for \u201cMelania\u201d was Democratic Sen.\u00a0Elizabeth Warren, who accused Amazon MGM Studios of committing \u201cbribery in plain sight\u201d by spending lavishly for the documentary. In March, the Massachusetts senator and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) led an investigation into whether Amazon MGM\u2019s investment in \u201cMelania\u201d was \u201cpart of a corrupt pay-to-play arrangement with the Trump administration.\u201d Warren pointed out that Amazon MGM\u2019s offer was $26 million above the next-highest bidder, Disney.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that Amazon is seeking favorable treatment from the Trump Administration while paying a far-above-market sum to produce and promote the Trump family\u2019s film raises questions about Amazon\u2019s exposure under federal anti-bribery law,\u201d Warren and Johnson wrote in a letter to Amazon on March 15. \u201cThe American people deserve assurance that powerful corporations are not using their financial resources to gain political influence or favorable treatment at public expense \u2014 and that these corporations are not violating federal bribery laws.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a response to the lawmakers\u2019 allegations, Amazon\u2019s VP of public policy Brian Huseman said in a March 30 statement obtained by\u00a0Variety<\/em>: \u201cWe disagree with any suggestion that Amazon\u2019s decision to license this film and accompanying series was improper. We regularly release documentaries that offer unique perspectives on cultural and historical figures across the political spectrum.\u201d Huserman added, \u201cAmazon MGM Studios became the licensor of the film and accompanying series following a thorough and competitive bidding process. \u2018Melania\u2019 gave us the opportunity to tell a story that\u2019s never been told before, with unprecedented access to a historic presidential transition through the perspective of the First Lady. Our decision was based on the film and series itself \u2014 the access, the story, and its cultural and historical relevance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen Amazon MGM\u00a0acquired \u201cMelania\u201d in early 2025, a studio spokesperson said, \u201cWe licensed the film for one reason and one reason only \u2014 because we think customers are going to love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Apple TV\u2019s Cam Boy Crime Comedy \u2018Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed\u2019 Loses Sight of Its Juicy Hook: TV Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jeff Bezos insists that Amazon MGM Studios’ decision to acquire and release “Melania,” a documentary about the First Lady, was smart business — and not an attempt to curry favor with her husband.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[372,374,373],"class_list":["post-324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-jeff-bezos","tag-melania-trump","tag-melania"],"yoast_head":"\nJeff Bezos Defends \u2018Melania\u2019 Documentary as a \u2018Very Good Business Decision,\u2019 Denies It Was a \u2018Way of Buying Influence\u2019 With Trump Administration - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=324\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jeff Bezos Defends \u2018Melania\u2019 Documentary as a \u2018Very Good Business Decision,\u2019 Denies It Was a \u2018Way of Buying Influence\u2019 With Trump Administration - 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