Melania Trump’s documentary reportedly earned far less in theaters than Amazon spent on the project. A new financial filing also reveals how much the first lady personally made from the film. The figures have reignited attention on the documentary’s commercial performance and the controversy surrounding Amazon’s investment.
Melania Trump’s documentary profit revealed in new report
A new financial disclosure filed by President Donald Trump shows that first lady Melania Trump earned $10.71 million from the Amazon documentary centered on her. The filing also lists other income sources, including about $521,000 from her memoir, released shortly before the 2024 presidential election, and more than $6 million from NFTs and other collectibles. The earnings became public months after the documentary’s theatrical release.
The report comes as the documentary’s box office results remain under scrutiny. According to the report, Amazon MGM spent around $75 million producing and marketing the film. The movie’s massive price tag also caught the attention of politicians in Washington.
Some members of Congress even questioned Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, wondering if the project was simply a risky business move or something more, including a possible “pay-to-play” deal linked to the Trump administration.
At the film’s premiere, President Trump was asked if Jeff Bezos was trying to win his support. Trump said he wasn’t “involved” and pointed to his wife instead. Bezos later denied the claims, saying they “weren’t true,” though he admitted to CNBC he understood why people were asking those questions.
As for the movie itself, it brought in only about $16 million at the global box office. Attendance reportedly remained weak in several markets, with some screenings drawing very small crowds. The film was also removed from theaters in South Africa after underperforming. Critical reception was similarly poor, with the documentary holding a 10% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
According to THR, financial disclosure records show that President Trump continued to receive royalties from The Apprentice in 2024, with earnings reported between $100,000 and $1 million.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
