Selective Access: Mainstream Media Barred from 'Melania' Documentary Premiere
Selective Access: Mainstream Media Barred from 'Melania' Documentary Premiere
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has reignited tensions between the White House and the press corps, mainstream media outlets were reportedly blocked from attending the official premiere screening of the new documentary Melania at the Kennedy Center on Thursday night.
While reporters from major organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Associated Press were permitted to cover the red carpet arrivals, they were denied entry to the Opera House for the actual screening. The restriction left dozens of top journalists in the lobby as a select group of VIPs, administration officials, and friendly media figures ascended to watch the film.
A "Right-Wing Media Preference"
The invite-only event, held at the recently renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, appeared to favor outlets aligned with the administration’s messaging.
According to reports from Variety, the only media figures without separate VIP invitations allowed inside were One America News (OAN) anchor Dan Ball and his producer. Throughout the red carpet event, Ball was observed encouraging government officials to bypass the mainstream press line, which he referred to as "fake news."
“It was a surreal atmosphere,” noted one veteran White House reporter who was denied entry. “We were invited to stand in the pen and take photos of the First Lady’s dress, but the moment the film started, the doors were effectively barred to the public record.”
The $75 Million "Creative Experience"
The documentary, titled Melania: 20 Days to History, follows the First Lady in the three weeks leading up to the 2025 inauguration. Directed by Brett Ratner, marking his first major project since 2017. The film has been the subject of intense financial scrutiny.
Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid an unprecedented $40 million for the distribution rights, with an additional $35 million earmarked for a global marketing campaign. The First Lady herself reportedly earned a $28 million producer fee from the deal, a move legal experts call "unprecedented" for a sitting First Lady, though not illegal as she is not a government employee.
Addressing the audience inside the theater, Melania Trump pushed back against the "documentary" label:
“Some have called this a documentary. It is not,” she told the crowd. “It is a creative experience that offers perspectives, insights, and moments.”
Trump on the Carpet
Despite the screening lockout, President Donald Trump spent several minutes taking questions on the red carpet. Clad in a classic tux, the President touched on looming government funding negotiations and his upcoming plans for the Federal Reserve.
When asked about the high price tag Amazon paid for his wife's film, the President distanced himself from the business side. “I wasn’t involved with that,” he told reporters. “But the film is very important. People are going to see the real Melania.”
Box Office and Backlash
The decision to withhold the film from critics and mainstream reporters comes as Melania prepares for a massive theatrical rollout. The film is opening today on over 1,500 screens across the United States.
However, early reports suggest "soft" advance ticket sales in international markets like the UK, and critics who have paid for their own tickets for today's public showings have largely dismissed the film as a "high-budget puff piece."
As the First Lady continues her publicity tour—which included ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange earlier this week—the debate over the blurring lines between White House service and private commercial ventures remains the film's most enduring headline.
