On Thursday, January 29, 2026, President Donald Trump reacted defensively to a journalist’s question about the $75 million cost of a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump. The incident occurred during the film’s premiere at the Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The New York Times White House correspondent, Shawn McCreesh, confronted Trump on the red carpet about the film’s overall expense, which comprises a $40 million production budget and $35 million for promotional activities. McCreesh hinted at possible corporate corruption, querying if Jeff Bezos of Amazon MGM Studios was attempting to curry favor with Trump.
Initially, Trump inquired about the journalist’s employer. Following McCreesh’s identification as a New York Times reporter, Trump labeled the publication as fake news and dismissed the question.
The president clarified that he didn’t participate in the film deal, which was managed by his wife. He added that the film gives an insight into the White House’s everyday life and that Melania produced the documentary.
Minutes later, another journalist questioned the president about Amazon’s payment for the movie rights. Trump, now 79, responded by criticizing former President Obama for earning a significant income.
The premiere took place at the venue, formerly known as the Kennedy Center but now renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center. Before its public release, the documentary was also screened at the White House.
Opening on Friday across approximately 1,500 theaters in the United States and Canada, the 1 hour and 48 minutes long documentary is expected to face box office hurdles, with opening weekend revenue projected at a mere $5 million.
During red carpet interviews, the 55-year-old First Lady depicted the documentary as beautiful, emotional, fashionable, and cinematic. She announced that a spinoff docuseries would be released in a few months and that the film covers the 20 days leading up to the inauguration.
Directed by Brett Ratner, the filmmaker known for action comedies but who faced sexual abuse allegations in 2017, the documentary was financed by Amazon MGM Studios via a deal with Bezos’ company. Trump insisted he had no role in the negotiations or approval of the agreement.
The premiere attracted several Trump administration officials and supporters, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, rapper Nicki Minaj, Donald Trump Jr., and his fiancée Bettina Anderson. The president and First Lady posed for photographs and answered media queries on the black carpet.
The film has been subjected to negative reviews on Letterboxd, with social media users sharing images of almost vacant theater screenings.
The documentary’s release on Friday, January 30, 2026, will test audience reception to a close-up portrayal of the First Lady during the transition period following Trump’s election victory and leading up to his second inauguration.