U.S. military personnel at several bases told a civil liberties group they faced pressure from commanders to attend screenings of Melania, a documentary about first lady Melania Trump, according to a report released this week.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, or MRFF, reported receiving complaints from service members at eight military installations. These complaints described instances where superiors urged or directed units to watch the film as part of organized activities. Mikey Weinstein, the group’s founder and president, told Business Insider that these accounts indicate participation was directed by command, and service members felt they could not easily refuse.
Business Insider reported that one active-duty enlisted member contacted MRFF on behalf of about a dozen unit members and family members who felt “pressured.” This pressure came after a commander labeled the movie outing as a “Unit Activity Event,” or UAE, which is a morale-building program some units use for organized off-duty gatherings. The service member said attendance at three out of four monthly UAEs was expected to avoid penalties. The commander encouraged participation alongside his family at a theater showing the documentary off base.
Weinstein told Business Insider that the power dynamic between commanders and their subordinates makes even unofficial promotions feel mandatory for many service members. He noted that MRFF clients reported either attending the event or finding ways to bypass it.
MELANIA, a film 🎥
NOW PLAYING WORLDWIDE 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/1vVxhgSqHb
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) February 6, 2026
These allegations garnered attention as Amazon MGM Studios broadened the film’s theatrical reach after a successful opening weekend. Business Insider noted that Melania debuted on 1,778 screens and earned approximately $7 million, leading to plans for almost 300 additional theaters for a wider release.
In a separate report, MRFF claimed that “thousands” of active-duty personnel may have felt pressured to attend screenings. The Daily Beast also reported MRFF’s assertions that the complaints originated from several bases and that some commanders framed attendance as a unit event.
The Department of Defense denied any official requirement to attend the film. A Defense Department official told Business Insider there was no order mandating service members to watch the documentary. This official also expressed a favorable personal opinion of the film while stressing the lack of a department-wide directive.
MRFF typically represents service members who believe their rights are impacted by religious favoritism or political messaging within the military. The group argued that linking a film about the first lady to unit events can blur the line between morale activities and political signaling, especially when commanders promote the outing.
The reports did not specify which installations were involved, and MRFF stated it withholds names to protect service members from retaliation. Business Insider also noted it did not identify the service member who sent the email shared by Weinstein.
Amazon’s investment in the film has also been a point of discussion as the movie’s box office performance and expansion continue. Business Insider indicated that the documentary’s release followed Amazon MGM Studios’ significant spending to acquire and market the title.
No Pentagon investigation has been publicly announced regarding MRFF’s claims. The key question now is whether commanders used unit expectations, scheduling, or implied consequences in ways that made service members feel their attendance was required, even without a Defense Department directive.
