Melania Trump‘s documentary, initially scheduled to premiere on January 29, 2026, at the newly renamed Kennedy Center, has already been screened for VIPs and family friends at a private event held at the White House.
The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner and executive-produced by Melania herself, was screened on Saturday, January 24, in the East Room of the White House, where the First Lady hosted a special dinner and screening for 70 friends, family members, and VIPs, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Per the outlet, the screening ahead of the documentary’s official premiere occurred as an ice storm was expected to hit Washington, D.C.
Guests at the screening included a mix of VIPs such as Brett Ratner, Queen Rania of Jordan, Eric Yuan, Mike Tyson, Tim Cook, Lynn Martin, Lisa Su, Azzi Agnelli, Tony Robbins, and Ellen von Unwerth.
Additionally, Barron Trump, Mike Hopkins, Andy Jassy, and Marc Beckman, along with the director’s mother, were also in attendance.
According to a source cited by the outlet, almost no one had seen the documentary aside from Melania and Ratner. Even Donald Trump and his advisors watched it for the first time on Saturday, in a make-shift theatre built in the White House by the First Lady herself.
In fact, when the reporters pressed the president about the documentary on board Air Force One on January 11, 2026, he gave a brief response and admitted he had not watched it.
“I’ve seen pieces of it, it’s incredible. I think it’s going to do very– you know, she did a book, and the book was a big number one bestseller, and this is a movie, and it seems to be captivating a lot of people’s attention,” the POTUS said.
.@POTUS on the upcoming ‘Melania’ film: “I’ve seen pieces of it. It’s incredible… It seems to be captivating a lot of people’s attention… Everybody wants tickets to the premiere.” pic.twitter.com/hxmzkkCBwQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 12, 2026
The President had previously voiced his excitement about the release, noting, “The premiere [is going to be] at the Trump Kennedy Center, it will be very exciting.”
“It’s a very hard ticket, I can tell you, everybody, Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet … he said last night ‘gee I wanna go’. Everybody wants tickets to the premiere. I think it’s going to be great,” he added.
The documentary, featuring the First Lady, will reportedly spotlight “unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration — through the eyes of the first lady-elect herself,” per a press release cited by People Magazine’s January 12, 2026 report.
It will also feature “exclusive footage of critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments.” The documentary has sparked mixed reactions from viewers ahead of its theatrical release on January 30.
“I can’t wait to see this” wrote one user. Another added, “Everyone must go see Melania Trump’s documentary- movie, give her what she deserves !”
I can’t wait to see this😊
— NancyH (@NancyH_60) January 19, 2026
Others criticised the documentary’s director, Brett Ratner, who was previously accused by six women of s—– misconduct during the #MeToo movement, though no criminal charges were filed against him.
“The director of the “Melania” documentary is Brett Ratner. In 2017, as part of the #MeToo movement, six women, including actresses Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn, publicly accused him of s—– harassment and misconduct. Makes perfect sense,” a third user wrote.
