Jeff Bezos says Amazon's ‘Melania’ doc was not to gain Trump's favor
Jeff Bezos says Amazon's ‘Melania’ doc was not to gain Trump's favor
Anthony Thompson, USA TODAYWed, May 20, 2026 at 9:58 PM UTC
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Jeff Bezos says Amazon's ‘Melania’ doc was not to gain Trump's favor
Jeff Bezos is pushing back against allegations that Amazon's MGM Studios acquired and released the documentary "Melania" as a way to curry favor with President Donald Trump.
Speaking May 20 on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the Amazon founder called the theory “a falsehood that will not die” and said he had no role in the decision to purchase the film centered on first lady Melania Trump.
"I had nothing to do with that," Bezos said, adding that claims of political motivation behind the deal are “just not correct,” even as he acknowledged he understands why critics have raised questions about the timing and size of the investment.
The documentary was directed by Brett Ratner and acquired in a reported $40 million deal. Amazon MGM also reportedly spent an additional $35 million on marketing, bringing total costs to roughly $75 million, according to reporting from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
Political scrutiny and ethics questions
The investment has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, and Rep. Hank Johnson, of Georgia, who questioned whether the deal complied with federal anti-bribery laws.
Lawmakers cited concerns that Amazon MGM’s reported bid exceeded competing offers, including one from The Walt Disney Company, and suggested the scale of the purchase raised questions about potential political influence.
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Amazon has denied wrongdoing, saying the project went through a competitive process and was selected based on its content and audience appeal.
Bezos on business judgment and media criticism
Bezos reiterated that Amazon’s entertainment decisions are made without political consideration and argued that claims of “buying influence” do not reflect how the company operates.
He highlighted strong viewer interest as justification for the acquisition, saying the subject matter continues to generate significant engagement across theaters and streaming platforms.
"Melania” opened to about $8 million at the box office and went on to gross roughly $16.6 million worldwide. After its March 9 debut on Prime Video, the film briefly topped Amazon’s streaming charts. It ranked seventh in Nielsen’s weekly movie streaming list with 230 million minutes viewed in its first week.
Critical response and audience reaction have diverged sharply, with the documentary holding a 10% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 98% audience rating.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on Twitter @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeff Bezos denies claims that ‘Melania’ doc was for Trump's favor
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
