Jeff Bezos is pushing back against criticism surrounding Amazon’s reported $75 million investment in the documentary Melania, insisting that he had no role in the deal while defending the project as a sound business decision. Speaking during an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Bezos addressed speculation that Amazon’s acquisition of the documentary was an attempt to build goodwill with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
“The Melania thing is a falsehood that will not die,” Bezos said, rejecting reports that he was personally involved in discussions about the project during a visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. According to Bezos, both Amazon and Melania Trump’s office have repeatedly denied claims that he played any part in securing the documentary.
The project reportedly cost Amazon around $35 million in licensing fees, with an additional $40 million spent on marketing and promotion. Directed by Brett Ratner, the documentary earned approximately $16 million at the worldwide box office during its theatrical run.
While those numbers fall far short of recouping Amazon’s reported investment through ticket sales alone, Bezos argued that the film should not be judged solely on theatrical revenue. He claimed that audience interest in Melania Trump helped drive strong performance both in cinemas and on streaming platforms.
Objectively, the box office total would be considered disappointing for a traditional studio release. However, within the documentary genre, a $16 million global gross is relatively significant. Recent documentary releases have struggled to reach those numbers, making Melania one of the stronger theatrical performers in the category, even if its acquisition and marketing costs were unusually high.
Bezos also used the interview to emphasize that Amazon is a massive company that makes many decisions independently of him. To illustrate that point, he referenced Project Hail Mary, one of Amazon MGM’s biggest recent successes, saying he had no involvement in greenlighting that project either.
“I wish I had greenlit that, but I didn’t,” Bezos said, arguing that assumptions about his direct involvement in every major Amazon decision are often inaccurate.
He also dismissed suggestions that the documentary was intended to buy political influence, calling the theory incorrect. According to Bezos, the decision was made by Amazon’s entertainment team based on business considerations rather than political motivations.
During the same interview, Bezos spoke positively about Trump’s second term, describing the president as “more mature” than during his first administration. He argued that business leaders should maintain relationships with government officials regardless of political affiliation and said that providing input to an administration is important no matter who occupies the White House.
The controversy surrounding Melania highlights the growing scrutiny faced by major media and technology companies when business decisions intersect with politics. Whether the documentary ultimately proves profitable for Amazon remains unclear, but Bezos remains adamant on two points: he says he had nothing to do with the deal, and he believes the company’s team made a smart business decision in pursuing it.