Jeff Bezos defends Amazon's $75M ‘Melania' doc spend

Jeff Bezos distanced himself from Amazon MGM Studios’ controversial $75 million investment in Melania, while still praising the film’s performance as a savvy business move.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box Wednesday, the Amazon founder rejected claims that former First Lady Melania Trump personally pitched him the documentary at a Mar a Lago dinner in 2024.

“The Melania thing is a falsehood that will not die,” Bezos said. “We have denied it, Melania’s office has denied it. It’s not true, I had nothing to do with that.”

Bezos emphasized that the decision came from Amazon’s streaming division, not him directly.

“By the way, it appears it was a good business decision,” he added. “It did very well in theaters. It’s done very well on streaming. People are very curious about Melania.”

Directed by Brett Ratner, Melania grossed $16 million worldwide during its four-week theatrical run.

Bezos also pointed to Amazon’s broader slate, noting he had no involvement in Project Hail Mary, which has become the studio’s most profitable film of 2026.

“Amazon’s a big company that makes a lot of decisions, but this idea that Melania is somehow a way of buying influence, it’s just not correct,” he said.