The former First Lady, now 55, is preparing to give audiences an unusually personal look at her life in a new tell-all documentary produced by herself and Amazon Prime Video. The project, from Amazon MGM Studios, follows Melania during the intense 20 days leading up to her husband Donald Trump’s 2025 presidential inauguration.
The trailer opens inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda on inauguration day, where Melania turns to the camera and dryly remarks, “Here we go again.” The tone suggests a more candid, self-aware portrait than the public has ever seen from her.
But while the film promises behind-the-scenes access to Melania’s world, one major figure is noticeably missing: Ivanka Trump.
According to multiple insiders, Ivanka — the president’s eldest daughter and Melania’s stepdaughter — does not appear in the film at all, and that absence is reportedly no accident. A source speaking to Rob Shuter’s Substack claimed there is “real tension” between the two women and that Melania “made it clear she didn’t want Ivanka anywhere near this film.”
“There’s zero love lost,” the source alleged, adding that Ivanka’s exclusion was “intentional.”
Rumors of a strained relationship between Melania and Ivanka have circulated for years, but they resurfaced again last September when Ivanka skipped a high-profile state dinner with the royal family. Only Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, were in attendance.
Another insider told NewsNation that Melania felt “overshadowed” by Ivanka during a 2019 visit to the United Kingdom. “That wasn’t going to happen again,” the source said, claiming Melania is now far more confident and protective of her role than she was during Trump’s first term.
The tension reportedly traces back to the early days of Trump’s first administration, when Melania remained in New York City so her son Barron could finish the school year. During that time, Ivanka — then a senior White House adviser — became a constant presence in Washington.
Those months were memorably described by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff in her 2020 memoir, Melania and Me. Wolkoff wrote that while Melania kept a low profile, Ivanka “rushed in to fill the void” as a kind of “acting First Lady,” issuing statements, posting frequently on social media, and attending high-level meetings.
The new documentary was announced in January, just two weeks before President Trump returned to the White House. It has drawn attention not only for its intimate subject matter, but also because it marks the return of director Brett Ratner, who has not worked in Hollywood since facing sexual misconduct accusations in 2017.
Amazon plans to release the film exclusively in U.S. theaters and select international markets on January 30, 2026. A streaming date on Prime Video has not yet been announced. The documentary will later be followed by a three-part docuseries expanding on Melania’s story.
Sources have also told The Hollywood Reporter that Melania intends to host a premiere at the newly renamed The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — a symbolic location that underscores her renewed confidence and control.
Whether the film clears the air or deepens speculation about family rifts remains to be seen. What’s clear is that this time, Melania Trump is telling her story — and deciding exactly who gets to be part of it.
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