Featured Image Credit: Craig Hudson/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, US News, Politics, Immigration
William Morgan
Topics: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, US News, Politics, Immigration
The not-so-highly anticipated release of the film Melania has seen the president and first lady take to the red carpet for its world premiere - but it looked like Donald Trump might have forgotten where in the world his wife is from.
The documentary, which Amazon paid $40 million for the privilege of filming, follows Melania Trump in 2025 as she prepares for another four years in the White House and offers audiences a manicured inside look at the first family.
But at the premiere, held at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center on Thursday night, there was little family support, with Melania's own son Barron not attending, as well as Donald Trump's other children, Ivana, Eric, and Ivanka.
Things got worse on the red carpet, when President Tump was asked about how he felt about his wife doing the film, for which she was paid $28 million, he said he was 'proud' of Melania because of where she's come from, but then appeared unable to name the country she's from.
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Responding to questions from reporters, Trump spoke at length about his wife's country of origin, but seemed to struggle remembering where his wife of 20 years was even born.
The president said: "She comes from a faraway country, a wonderful country, clean, beautiful, safe. Doesn't have problems like others have. But she comes from a very safe country, very good country."
But while Trump could not say where his wife was from, he spoke warmly about her intelligence, adding: "It's different, and she speaks a lot of languages, very smart, understands what happens. And she's a good influencer, of me."
Many viewers watching the MAGA-filled premiere unfold, spotted the president's slip which caused many to remark that 'he has no idea what country his wife is from,' and to ask 'he forgot where his wife is from…didn’t he? lol'.
Melania, 55, was born in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1970, with the country later becoming Slovenia after the death of the dictator Tito and the fall of the USRR.
Soon after, the former republic collapsed into years of violence and ethno-nationalism.
The first lady, who began modeling at the age of 16, was able to use her success to flee her life in the Balkans in 1996, when she was offered a contract that allowed her to immigrate to the US.
Just two years later, she was introduced to then-property tycoon Donald Trump and the rest is history. Or, at least, the subject of the most expensive documentary anyone has ever paid for.
With Melania's documentary now showing around the world (January 30), and albeit early signs that the expensive Amazon project could be a flop at the Box Office, the first lady has already found herself defending the film.
Speaking to CNN, Melania explained that the $40 million project was not about the money that it made in the cinemas, saying: “I’m very proud of the film so people may like it, may don’t like it, and that’s their choice.
“We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”