A documentary focusing on First Lady Melania Trump is set to premiere at the recently rebranded Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. This venue, now bearing the name of Donald J. Trump alongside John F. Kennedy, has sparked controversy due to its rebranding and ongoing operational issues.
Directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Amazon MGM Studios, the film captures Melania Trump’s experiences in the 20 days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration. The trailer, released on Dec. 18, 2025, features the first lady in the U.S. Capitol rotunda on inauguration day, candidly saying to the camera, “Here we go again.”
In a statement shared by Amazon, Melania Trump characterizes the documentary as a personal, unfiltered glimpse into her life as she balances family, business, and philanthropy during her path to becoming the first lady of the United States of America.
Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, has shown her support for the project on social media, saying, “I am so excited for this!”
While a premiere date has not yet been set, the documentary is slated to hit theaters worldwide on January 30, 2026, before being made available on Prime Video. A three-part docuseries is also planned to follow the film’s theatrical release.
The choice of venue has brought existing controversies surrounding both the Kennedy Center and the director of the documentary into the spotlight. The center’s board of trustees unanimously voted to change the institution’s name, a decision that has been challenged by legal experts and Democratic lawmakers who argue that such a change to the federally established memorial’s name necessitates congressional approval. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio has initiated a lawsuit disputing the legality of the name change.
The Kennedy Center has been grappling with operational difficulties recently. Artists have been left waiting for payment after their performances, and shows, including the scheduled run of “Hamilton,” have been canceled. Folk singer Kristy Lee has also withdrawn her scheduled performance in light of these issues.
The board has seen significant turnover with 18 members being dismissed before new appointments were made. The Kennedy Center, established by Congress in 1964, serves as a living memorial to President Kennedy.
Additional scrutiny has arisen from the choice of Ratner as director. Ratner was accused of sexual misconduct by six women in 2017, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge. Although Ratner has denied these allegations, his career in Hollywood was interrupted following these claims.
Ratner was seen in photographs from the Jeffrey Epstein files, which were revealed by the Department of Justice on December 19, 2025, alongside Jean-Luc Brunel, the late French model agent and Epstein associate. Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, claimed in a lawsuit that she was forced to have sex with Brunel several times when she was a minor.
Commenting on the director’s selection after the trailer release, Joy Behar of “The View” stated, “If he had somebody direct it who didn’t have a record in some kind of sexual assault, I would be surprised. I mean, this tracks.”
The documentary signifies Ratner’s comeback to the film industry after a long hiatus. Amazon plans to initially release the film in theaters before making it available on its streaming platform, a distribution strategy that has become uncommon for streaming-backed productions.
The premiere will be held at the venue, now officially named The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on its website and building signage. Workers were seen adding Trump’s name to the exterior of the building after the board’s decision.
The film’s release coincides with Melania Trump’s second term as first lady, which began after the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. The documentary promises unique insights into meetings, private conversations and other typically off-camera events throughout this transition period.
Amazon MGM Studios has made a substantial investment in this project, making it one of their most high-profile documentary acquisitions.
The combination of the renamed venue, the politically charged subject, and the controversial director has stirred significant controversy around the premiere. This event is expected to attract widespread media attention and protests in Washington, D.C.
