“From a Reclusive First Lady to a Brand”: Melania Trump Lays the Groundwork for a Business Ambition Through Documentary Film

Melania Trump Steps Into the Spotlight With Documentary, Shedding Her Reclusive Image
The First Lady as a Brand, Captivating Middle-Aged American Women
The Launch of the ‘Melania Business Model’ Spanning Media and Luxury

Melania Trump has unveiled her documentary film Melania at a preview screening, marking the start of a more assertive public-facing agenda. In a clear departure from the “reclusive First Lady” image that defined her years during Donald Trump’s first administration, she is now actively leveraging the symbolic capital of the First Ladyship as the foundation of a personal brand. This strategy is widely seen as the cornerstone of the business model Melania Trump is now seeking to build.

Official Release of the Melania Documentary

According to the content industry on the 5th, Melania Trump held a preview screening of the documentary on January 29 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, attended by government officials and supporters, formally signaling her return to the public stage. The film traces her life over the 20 days leading up to the launch of the Trump administration’s second term. The project was jointly produced by Muse Films, a production company founded by Melania Trump herself, and U.S. documentary specialist New Element Media. Direction was handled by Brett Ratner, who rose to prominence with action films such as Rush Hour before being effectively ousted from Hollywood following sexual misconduct allegations. Melania opened on January 30 in 1,778 theaters across the United States and Canada and is currently being screened in 27 regions worldwide.

The project was underwritten by a substantial licensing fee paid by Amazon. Earlier this month, Amazon acquired the rights to the film for $40 million, the highest price ever paid for a documentary, and nearly three times the $14 million bid reportedly submitted by Disney, the runner-up. An Amazon spokesperson cited “strong confidence that customers will love the film” as the rationale for the deal, but industry observers widely interpret the move as part of Amazon’s strategy to capture conservative-viewer data and expand its political influence.

In addition, Amazon reportedly paid Melania Trump a large guarantee. Total funds received by her from Amazon in connection with the project are said to amount to $40 million. Marketing expenditures ahead of the release are estimated at $35 million, roughly ten times the promotional budget of most high-profile documentaries. By comparison, CNN’s 2018 documentary RBG, which focused on progressive Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, spent $3 million on promotion.

A Surge of Middle-Aged Female Viewers

Market observers argue that the primary objective of the documentary was to erase the reclusive image Melania Trump maintained during the Trump administration’s first term. Instead, the film positions her as an aspirational icon within the global luxury market. One industry source noted that “regardless of its commercial performance, Melania Trump has succeeded in elevating and ‘packaging’ the status of First Lady,” adding that “among middle-aged American women, the documentary has sparked something close to a phenomenon since its release.”

Indeed, buoyed by strong interest from middle-aged female audiences, Melania generated $7 million in ticket sales in North America alone during its opening weekend. According to market research firm Franchise Entertainment Research, women accounted for 72% of viewers, with 83% of them aged 45 or older. The figures are highly unusual in a mainstream film market typically dominated by male audiences aged 15 to 44.

These viewers appear to have embraced the meticulously staged portrayal of Melania Trump as a “role model” embodying values they aspire to. In the film, she is shown impeccably styled, walking in high heels through Mar-a-Lago, Trump Tower, and the White House, remaining detached from political turbulence while focusing on details such as upcoming dinners and dresses. The documentary dwells almost exclusively on the “beautiful and luxurious” life of the First Lady. Owen Gleiberman, chief film critic at Variety, delivered a scathing assessment, calling the film “so carefully staged, beautified, and manufactured that it doesn’t even rise to the level of a straightforward infomercial.”

Branding Political Influence

This image transformation is widely expected to serve as the foundation for what Melania Trump’s backers describe as a broader “business empire” strategy. Based on market assessments and foreign media reports, her post-release plans can be summarized in two directions: media commerce and the expansion of a luxury goods lineup. Regardless of the film’s box-office performance, Melania Trump is reportedly in talks with Amazon to develop a documentary series and supply lifestyle-related content through an ongoing partnership.

Her “Curated Experiences” events, scheduled to roll out nationwide starting in Nashville, Tennessee, are expected to function as high-margin merchandise platforms. With ambitions to compete directly with European premium fragrance and cosmetics brands, she is preparing to launch a signature perfume and a high-specification compact line. At the same time, she has signaled interest in accessible, low-end products, exemplified by the sale of a $12.99 collectible popcorn bucket at movie theaters.

Experts describe this approach as the full-scale branding of the First Lady identity. By converting political influence into personal wealth and brand equity, Melania Trump is seen as pioneering a new revenue model. One market specialist observed that “she has moved beyond the traditional First Lady role of using fashion as a diplomatic tool and is now commercializing her own image,” adding that “if this strategy proves successful, it could usher in an era in which First Ladies promote their own fashion brands rather than accepting sponsorships from luxury houses.” He cautioned, however, that “established luxury brands are likely to bristle at this strategy,” concluding that “the key question is whether Melania Trump can withstand pushback from entrenched players and secure a meaningful foothold in the market.”