Bezos thinks Melania Trump documentary was a 'good business decision'
What's the story
Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, has defended the company's controversial documentary on US First Lady Melania Trump. The film, which was bought for $40 million by Amazon with a reported $28 million paid to Melania herself, failed to recover its budget upon release. Despite this, Bezos called it "a good business decision" during an interview on CNBC this week.
Denial of involvement
Bezos denies personal involvement in film
Bezos also denied any personal involvement in the film, which was directed by Brett Ratner. He said, "The Melania thing is a falsehood that will not die." "I see it reported all the time that somehow I was involved in this but I had nothing to do with that." The documentary followed Trump during the 20 days leading up to her husband Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration and was released without a press screening.
Defense of decision
Controversial purchase defended by Bezos
Bezos further said it was "just not correct" to say that buying the film was a way of gaining favor with the Trump administration, but "I can see why people say this." The documentary reportedly earned $16.7 million worldwide and has been popular on streaming platforms. Amazon spent an extra $35 million on marketing. Earlier, both Trump and Ratner had defended the film's budget, with the latter saying such expenditure was "not unheard of in a documentary."
Criticism and allegations
Film drew ire from Senator Elizabeth Warren
The film was criticized by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who called it part of "an apparent pay-to-play arrangement with the Trump administration." She questioned Amazon's exposure under federal anti-bribery law, given the high sum paid to produce and promote the film. In response, Amazon denied any accusations of bribery, citing the film's "cultural and historical relevance."