First lady Melania Trump discussed her security fears in the months after two assassination attempts against her husband, President Donald Trump, in her new documentary, Melania, which opened in theaters on Friday, a day after its premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The documentary follows Melania during the 20 days leading up to Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025.
Why It Matters
While campaigning in July 2024, Trump was shot and struck in the ear during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. During the rally, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at Trump from a rooftop about 150 yards away. Trump’s ear was seen bleeding while being escorted off the campaign stage by Secret Service agents.
In September 2024, authorities arrested 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh after a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle protruding through the fence where Trump was playing golf in West Palm Beach, in what officials described as a second apparent attempt on his life during the 2024 campaign.
The 104-minute documentary, directed by Brett Ratner and executive produced by the first lady herself, has carried a hefty price tag: Amazon paid $40 million for it and another $35 million for marketing, totaling around $75 million, making it one of the most expensive documentaries of all time.
What To Know
Melania, who is constantly surrounded by Secret Service agents throughout the documentary, especially during travel, speaks a little bit about safety concerns in Melania.
While discussing the inauguration plans, including a parade, Melania speaks up about her apprehension about stepping outside.
“How did this area get secured?” she says during a planning meeting. “Does everybody get screened? Are we getting out of the car?”
She continued, “Because if we go out, I think people will already know where we would go out. So it’s kind of like, how could that be safe? Especially with the last year, what’s going on and stuff. I have concerns, honestly.”
Following the July assassination attempt, Melania released a statement, writing, “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change.” The statement continued, “A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion- his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration.”
In the documentary, Melania noted that her teenage son, Barron Trump, “will not go out of the car. I respect that. That’s his decision.”
Later on, when the inauguration was moved inside due to weather concerns, Melania said, “In truth, I was relieved. Being in a more secure and closed space brought a certain peace of mind.”
What Happens Next
Newsweek saw the film in theaters in New York City on Friday, with three other people in attendance. It was about 10 degrees outside, and the showing was in the morning on a workday, so a big crowd wasn’t expected. But reports from other locations have also described sparse turnout and soft box-office expectations so far, with a WIRED analysis finding only two sold-out theaters in the United States: one in Florida and one in Missouri.
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