As Trump grapples with his election humiliation, Melania’s latest Amazon paycheck becomes more and more important.
Melania Trump’s latest foray into streaming could come with an unexpected twist: increased scrutiny from Congress.
Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Prime Video is set to release Melania’s two-part docuseries on November 20, just weeks after Americans delivered a scathing rejection of President Donald Trump’s second term and expressed concern about corruption within the administration.
Photo illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images/Reuters
One episode, titled “Family & Trust,” will follow Melania as she prepares to become first lady, building on her previous documentary of the same name. The second episode, titled “Pride & Honor,” takes place just after Trump’s inauguration.
On The Daily Beast Podcasteditor Hugh Dougherty noted the irony of the documentary series’ announcement coming just after Trump’s party suffered a humiliating midterm defeat.
“Her husband just lost an election in a humiliating way,” Dougherty told host Joanna Coles. “Democrats are going to attack every inch of land. »
First lady Melania Trump is set to launch a documentary series on Amazon Prime Video.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Exit polls have shown that Americans are deeply concerned about the economy and the cost of living, which have soared since Trump waged war on Iran. But more than half of voters in the United States also said corruption was a “crucial” factor in their voting decisions.
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California Representative Robert Garcia, who is expected to become chairman of the House Oversight Committee, sent a brief message to Trump and his “crime family” shortly after the Democrats won the election: “A lawyer!
“It’s like they’re reaching out to get as much money as they can, and I wonder if it’s accelerating…Are they getting even greedier now that time is running out?” Coles asked Dougherty, who pointed out that the first couple had already received $10.71 million from the Melanie documentary.
“A significant amount of money has already been paid to Melania. There has been no oversight. The Republicans have done no oversight,” he said. “And that’s another thing about this election: People said, ‘Wait. Your job is to hold people accountable, to be a check and balance on power.'”
“We now have determined Democrats,” he continued. “They’ve already outlined some of the subpoena targets. Those targets already include Donald Trump Jr., because of his extraordinary business dealings. There’s no way they’re not going after Amazon, Jeff Bezos and Melania Trump for this – I’m going to say – extraordinary documentary,” Dougherty continued. “We all have questions.”
The White House and Office of the First Lady did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
Trump announced multi-million dollar licensing fees for Melanie on its 2025 financial disclosure report. Amazon, meanwhile, spent $40 million to acquire the documentary and spent another $35 million on marketing. The film ultimately grossed approximately $16.6 million worldwide and has since been released on Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is into the first lady’s documentaries.
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images
The president also reported a licensing payment of $521,161 for a Melanie memoir from Skyhorse Publishing and $6 million in net proceeds from “NFTs and other collectibles” associated with the first lady.
The White House has repeatedly asserted that “neither the President nor his family have ever engaged – or will ever engage – in conflicts of interest.”
California Rep. Robert Garcia warned the Trump family to “retain a lawyer.”
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
But voters weren’t convinced and Democrats were elated after wresting power from Republicans.
“The American people have spoken, and they are tired of the unprecedented level of corruption in the White House under President Trump,” Garcia said in a video statement Friday.
“Surveillance Democrats are ready to go after crooks, scammers and the Trump crime family. Lawyer.”
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