Amazon MGM acquired the rights to “Melania,” the feature-length documentary about Melania Trump, in January 2025 for a reported $40 million. The company then released it the following year, amid accusations that former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos paid the hefty price for the film to gain favor with President Donald Trump. Now, months later, he’s distancing himself while defending the decision.

Jeff Bezos Says He Was Not Responsible For ‘Melania’

Bezos appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on May 20. While on the popular morning news program, he was asked about the acquisition of “Melania” and how many believed it was a move orchestrated by him in order to remain in the good graces of the Trump administration.

In response, the former Amazon CEO turned Executive Chair called the claims “a falsehood that will not die,” referring to the situation as “The ‘Melania’ thing.” According to him, “I see it reported all the time that somehow I was involved in this.”

He continued, “I had nothing to do with that.” However, despite stepping down as CEO in 2021, Bezos isn’t surprised that many would assume he was behind the business move.

The 62-year-old continued, “I can see why people say this. We have denied it. Melania’s office has denied it. It’s not true.”

The Former Amazon CEO Defended The Melania Trump Documentary

While the former Amazon CEO claims to have no involvement with “Melania,” he still sees the company’s decision to acquire it as a good one. Bezos stated, “By the way, it appears it was a good business decision. It did very well in theaters. It’s done very well on streaming.”

He went on to speculate on why the film has, in his opinion, performed well, noting that “people are very curious about Melania.” After that, the billionair business man added, “So even though I had nothing to do with it, it appears that the Amazon team made a very wise business decision.”

Fans Aren’t Buying That Bezos Didn’t Influence ‘Melania’ Acquisition

While it’s true that Bezos is no longer the CEO of Amazon and hasn’t been since 2021, many on social media don’t believe him when he claims to have had nothing to do with acquiring “Melania.” This is the case because he not only founded the company in 1994 but also continues to serve in a role within it.

One person on X joked, “Narrator: it was absolutely a way to buy influence in the Trump administration.” Someone else said, “I know a boot licker when I see one.”

After that, another social media user claimed, “That’s exactly what someone who used it as a way of buying influence with the Trump administration would say!”

Amazon MGM Spent $75 Million On The Film

Bezos claimed that “Melania” became a success following its January 2026 release. However, the publicly available figures don’t fully support that statement. According to Forbes, Amazon paid $40 million for the rights to the documentary. In addition, the company spent $35 million on marketing.

The movie opened with $7 million, setting a record for documentary films, but still a far cry from its breakeven point. According to Box Office Mojo, “Melania” has grossed only $16,357,453 worldwide, including international audiences.

By mid-February, “Melania” had reportedly left most movie theaters and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 9. It then debuted at number one on the platforms’ most-viewed films. However, according to USA Today, it ranked seventh on Nielsen’s overall chart the week of its release.

Director Brett Ratner & Melania Trump Previously Defended The Movie

Brett Ratner, who directed the movie, spoke out about its hefty price tag during its release. The controversial filmmaker said, “I think it’s silly because there’s a feature film and three episodes.”

He continued, “An almost two-hour feature film and three more episodes. We spent more money on music in this than I did on ‘Rush Hour.’ I mean, top of the line, three best cinematographers in the world, at the highest level. Eighty people on the first day of shooting in my crew. That’s not unheard of in a documentary. You put the money on the screen.”

Trump also defended the cost of “Melania,” noting, “We achieved what we wanted to achieve for cinematic viewing, in the theaters, and then we have a doc series coming out.”