Amazon Prime Video has licensed an upcoming documentary about incoming first lady Melania Trump, with filming starting last month and set to be released later this year. Melania Trump and Fernando Sulichin are listed as executive producers, with Brett Ratner directing the film. This announcement comes just months after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and ahead of the couple’s return to the White House for a second term.
The relationship between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ businesses and Trump has been under scrutiny, with tensions between them during Trump’s first term. Amazon accused Trump of launching attacks that led to losing a major cloud services contract. Bezos, who still serves as executive chairman of Amazon and owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin, has faced criticism for the perceived coziness between Amazon and Trump.
A cartoonist at The Washington Post recently revealed that she quit after being blocked from publishing a satirical cartoon featuring tech CEOs kneeling before the president-elect, including Bezos. Bezos explained his decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates, stating that endorsements do not influence voters and create a perception of bias. It was reported that Bezos himself made the decision to halt endorsements at The Washington Post.
Despite these controversies, Amazon Prime Video’s licensing of the Melania Trump documentary has raised questions about Bezos’ involvement. Bezos did not respond to a request for comment on whether he was part of securing the licensing deal. The documentary is set to offer a unique perspective on Melania Trump’s story to Amazon’s global audience.
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