Amazon Pays $40 Million for Melania Trump Documentary, Trump Reports $10.7 Million Fee

Amazon MGM Studios agreed to pay $40 million to license a documentary and planned docuseries about First Lady Melania Trump, described as the highest price ever paid for a commissioned documentary; the film, directed by Brett Ratner, was released in U.S. theaters in January 2026 before moving to Prime Video. President Trump's 2025 financial disclosure reported a $10.71 million licensing fee tied to the project as personal income.

The arrangement drew bipartisan ethics concern because Amazon, led by Jeff Bezos, simultaneously sought favorable outcomes from the Trump administration on regulatory and contracting matters. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Hank Johnson opened an inquiry into whether the payment functioned as a disguised pay-to-play arrangement, with Warren calling it "bribery in plain sight."

Amazon and the filmmakers maintained the payment reflected ordinary market rates for a high-profile subject and the documentary's commercial potential, which drew about $16.6 million at the global box office against roughly $35 million in marketing costs. No law bars a media company from paying a public figure for life rights, but critics say the size and timing of the payment, alongside Amazon's regulatory interests, illustrate a recurring pattern of corporations directing money toward the Trump family.