A lavish premiere of Melania, a big-budget documentary centred on US First Lady Melania Trump, brought together senior members of the Trump administration, global celebrities and business leaders at Washington’s Kennedy Center on Thursday, even as domestic and foreign policy tensions loomed large for the White House .The film, financed at a reported $75 million by Amazon MGM Studios, chronicles the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration and the family’s return to the White House. Melania Trump is among the producers.Amazon MGM paid $40 million to license the film and an accompanying docuseries, with another $35 million spent on promotion and international distribution, according to a person familiar with the matter .Trump and Melania were seen leaving the White House together for the premiere. The couple also interated with media at the event. The premiere was attended by several cabinet members, including health and human services secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and defense secretary Pete Hegseth, who walked a black – not red – carpet under a large monochrome “MELANIA” backdrop. A US official, speaking anonymously told Reuters, said cabinet attendance was viewed as obligatory .At the event Melania also talked about her intent behind the production, “I want to show the people what it takes to go from private citizen to being a First Lady again.”Amazon and the film’s director, Brett Ratner, rejected suggestions that the studio’s investment was intended to curry favour with the administration. “It wasn’t about getting rich,” Ratner told reporters. “I think the Trumps are wealthy and successful enough.” Trump also dismissed the suggestion, saying it was “fake news”, adding, “I’m not involved, and it was done with my wife”.

A spokesperson for Amazon said, “We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only – because we think customers are going to love it”.The documentary offers rare access to the first lady, who has maintained a low public profile during her husband’s second term. The trailer opens on Inauguration Day in January 2025 and shows Melania Trump advising the president to emphasise “peacemaker and unifier” in his inaugural address. The event also drew an eclectic guest list spanning politics, entertainment and sport. International attendees included FIFA president Gianni Infantino, musician Waka Flocka Flame and Jordan Belfort among others. Political figures present included former New York City mayor Eric Adams and US Second Lady Usha Vance .Melania opens in about 1,700 theatres across the US and Canada on Friday, following an unusually large marketing push for a documentary, including NFL playoff television ads, global billboards and projections at Las Vegas’s Sphere. Box office forecasters estimate opening weekend earnings of up to $5 million.