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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.
In an interview Wednesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the Amazon founder was asked about whether the company acquired “Melania” as an attempt to gain influence with the Trump administration.
“The ‘Melania’ thing is a falsehood that will not die,” Bezos said, adding, “I see it reported all the time that somehow I was involved in this” but that “I had nothing to do with that.” Bezos stepped down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021 and currently serves as the ecommerce giant’s executive chairman.
Bezos continued, “By the way, it appears
it was a good business decision. It did very well in theaters. It’s 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.”
In the CNBC interview, the multibillionaire said that it’s “just not correct” to say Amazon’s deal for “Melania” was “a way of buying influence” — although he did concede, “I can see why people say this.” Said Bezos, “We have denied it. Melania’s office has denied it. It’s not true.”
Amazon MGM paid $40 million to acquire “Melania” and another $35 million to market the move — unusually high for a documentary film. “Melania” grossed about $16.6 million at the theatrical box office worldwide — an impressive result for a documentary but nowhere close to recouping the original investment.
Among those criticizing the studio’s deal for “Melania” was Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who accused Amazon MGM Studios of committing “bribery in plain sight” by spending lavishly for the documentary. In March, the Massachusetts senator and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) led an investigation into whether Amazon MGM’s investment in “Melania” was “part of a corrupt pay-to-play arrangement with the Trump administration.” Warren pointed out that Amazon MGM’s offer was $26 million above the next-highest bidder, Disney.
“The 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’s film raises questions about Amazon’s exposure under federal anti-bribery law,” Warren and Johnson wrote in a letter to Amazon on March 15. “The American people deserve assurance that powerful corporations are not using their financial resources to gain political influence or favorable treatment at public expense — and that these corporations are not violating federal bribery laws.”
In a response to the lawmakers’ allegations, Amazon’s VP of public policy Brian Huseman said in a March 30 statement obtained by Variety: “We disagree with any suggestion that Amazon’s 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.” Huserman added, “Amazon MGM Studios became the licensor of the film and accompanying series following a thorough and competitive bidding process. ‘Melania’ gave us the opportunity to tell a story that’s 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 — the access, the story, and its cultural and historical relevance.”
When Amazon MGM acquired “Melania” in early 2025, a studio spokesperson said, “We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only — because we think customers are going to love it.”
