Jeff Bezos clears up Melania Trump documentary speculation as he hits back at criticism

Jeff Bezos has defended Amazon MGM Studios’ decision to release and aquire the documentary about First Lady 'Melania' - saying it was not an attempt to gain influence with the Trump administration.

In a new interview with Wednesday on CNBC’s 'Squawk Box,' Bezos said it’s “just not correct” to say Amazon’s deal for “Melania” was “a way of buying influence," although he can see why people say it is.

It was reported that Amazon MGM paid $40 million to acquire Melania, with another $35 million for marketing.

The authorized documentary Melania was released in cinemas in the United States in January 2026. It then subsequently became available on Amazon Prime Video for streaming. It grossed $16.6 million at the box office worldwide.

Jeff Bezos has defended Amazon MGM Studios’ decision to acquire and release Melania (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)

“The ‘Melania’ thing is a falsehood that will not die,” Bezos said in the new interview. “I see it reported all the time that somehow I was involved in this," he added - claiming he wasn't.

Bezos stepped down as the CEO of Amazon in 2021, and is now the executive chairman of the company.

He further defended the decision during the interview, saying that 'it was a good business decision' and 'did well in theatres'.

Although the film was not received well by critics, it went down well with fans, receiving a highly impressive score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.