Melania Trump, the former First Lady, has closed a notable deal with Amazon for the licensing of a documentary about her life, securing a contract worth $40 million.
The New York Post reported that this agreement marks a record acquisition for Amazon, making the documentary the priciest film ever bought by the platform.
Melania Trump will personally receive a significant portion of the proceeds from this agreement, amounting to more than 70% of the total, which translates to over $28 million.
The acquisition is a part of the broader financial maneuvers benefiting the Trump family following their return to political prominence.
In addition to securing the Amazon deal, Melania Trump has been actively pursuing major sponsorships.
Industry insiders report that she is requiring recognition fees from top-tier business leaders, demanding at least $10 million for a sponsor's name to appear in the film's credits, along with an invitation to the premiere.
This high-profile deal was finalized shortly after a significant meeting at Mar-a-Lago. In December, former President Donald Trump hosted a dinner with Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, and some key figures. The evening's discussions ultimately laid the groundwork for convincing Bezos to purchase the documentary rights despite past tensions.
Bezos's relationship with the Trump family has been complex. Previously, Bezos has taken actions such as preventing his newspaper from endorsing Kamala Harris and contributing $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.
Nonetheless, the dinner at Mar-a-Lago was seen as a landmark in bridging these past rifts for Melania's benefit.
Amazon outbid several competitors, emerging victorious against substantial offers from other industry giants. Paramount pitched in at $4 million, and Disney chimed in with a $14 million bid; however, neither Netflix nor Apple opted to submit official offers in this aggressive bidding war.
The finalized deal was rapidly followed by announcements that the documentary would be made available on Amazon's streaming service Prime Video, drawing significant attention from the media and public alike.
An Amazon representative remarked on the decision to acquire the documentary, stating that the company pursued the film because of the anticipated positive reception from customers.
This documentary deal is part of an $80 million windfall for the Trump family. In addition to this, they have profited from various lucrative settlements and business ventures, including resolving legal disputes with major corporations.
Through different legal settlements, significant payments were made to the Trumps. Meta settled a disagreement for $25 million, ABC News paid $15 million, and a settlement with Elon Musk's X resulted in a $10 million compensation. Meanwhile, Paramount is in ongoing negotiations to settle a lawsuit concerning a claimed misrepresentation in an interview with Kamala Harris on "60 Minutes."
Many critics have voiced concerns over the sheer scale of the Trumps' financial triumphs, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest stemming from their recent acquisitions and financial activities.
The deal has not only been met with intrigue but also scrutiny from various quarters. Observers from the industry note the unique nature of the transaction, given the historical tensions between Bezos and the Trump administration.
