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From cabinet meetings to late-night social media posts, US President Donald Trump has rarely been out of the spotlight since he took office again in January 2025. But most of the time, his wife is absent. So where is Melania Trump?
A new documentary, co-produced by the First Lady herself, aims to answer this question.
"Melania: 20 Days in History" promises viewers an up-close look at Melania Trump's life in the days leading up to her husband's inauguration in January 2025.
The documentary premiered in American cinemas on Friday, January 30, causing strong reactions from many critics, who pointed out that its release date was "wrong", as mass protests in Minneapolis intensify due to two people who lost their lives when they were shot by US immigration police agents (ICE), as the BBC comments.
Beyond the political side of things, those who wanted to know a little more about Melania Trump's personal life may find the documentary unsatisfying, as much of it shows her attending public events.
However, brief moments with her closest friends offer a glimpse into how the infamous First Lady of the United States spends her days during her husband's second term.
Her favorite singer is Michael Jackson.
From the beginning of the documentary, Melania is clear that she wants to show the American people "her journey from an ordinary citizen to First Lady of the United States."
“Melania” is a co-production between Melania herself and director Brett Ratner, and was distributed by MGM Studios and Amazon. The documentary is Ratner’s first project since he was accused of sexual misconduct at the height of the #MeToo movement in 2017. Ratner has denied the allegations.
Much of the documentary takes place at Trump Tower in New York, at the president's Florida residence at Mar-a-Lago, or during trips between the two homes. The documentary doesn't show much of the interiors of the two properties, just the spaces where Melania meets with her trusted staff of stylists, event planners and interior decorators.
At several points, Ratner interjects to encourage Melania to tell more about herself, such as what kind of music she likes. As she reveals, her favorite song is Michael Jackson, specifically the song "Billie Jean," which is played twice during the film.
Personal struggle
Melania speaks about her mother's death, describing her grief as overwhelming. Amalia Knavs died in January 2024. In the documentary, Melania appears particularly sad during former President Jimmy Carter's funeral in Washington on January 9, 2025, the anniversary of her mother's death. As she describes it, she sat in Washington National Cathedral, thinking about Knavs, saying, "My beloved mother will always be in my thoughts."
The documentary also features US President Donald Trump, who comments on camera that his wife had a "tough time" after the death of her mother.
Brigitte Macron's surprise appearance
Donald Trump may appear in rare documentaries, at important events and in some private moments to praise her for her work, but the appearance that caused a sensation was that of the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron.
The documentary showed a video call between Brigitte and Melania, where they talked about their collaboration on her "Fostering the Future" and "Be the Best" initiatives, which focus on child welfare.
"My next step and my next goal is to cultivate relationships and work with like-minded leaders and build an alliance," Melania Trump said. "And when I do that, I hope you will join me."
"With great pleasure. I will go anywhere with you. We have a lot in common," Macron replied.
Queen Rania of Jordan also appeared in the film.
The documentary also featured Israeli Aviva Siegel, who was held for 51 days by Hamas before being released on November 26, 2023, as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement brokered by the Biden administration.
In the documentary, Melania Trump is seen comforting Siegel and promising her that Donald Trump will help free the remaining hostages, including Siegel's husband, Keith.
"I know that once he takes office, this will be his priority. I'm sure of that," Melania told Trump.
At the end of the documentary, it says: “Melania Trump played a crucial role in the release of Keith Siegel after 484 days of hostage-taking in Gaza, just 12 days after her husband’s inauguration.”
In the documentary, Melania's father, Viktor Knavs, is also shown holding a video camera and filming his daughter behind the scenes at public appearances.
"My father always filmed the most special moments when I was a child," Melania Trump said. "He showed me the world through his lens, but also the essence of living life with passion and purpose."
As the first naturalized American citizen to serve as First Lady, Melania Trump has spoken in the past about her "difficult" path to obtaining American citizenship.
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