First Lady Melania Trump marked the close of her first year back in the White House with the premiere of a documentary chronicling the final weeks before President Donald Trump’s return to office, hosting a red carpet screening Thursday evening at Washington’s Trump-Kennedy Center.
The project centers on the 20-day period leading up to the Jan. 20, 2025, presidential inauguration and was conceived shortly after President Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
Speaking earlier this week while ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, the first lady described the film as an attempt to document a moment not previously captured from her perspective. “For the first time in history, people will witness the 20 days leading up to the inauguration, through the eyes of an incoming first lady,” she said Wednesday.
The film’s official description says it includes exclusive footage from meetings, private conversations, and behind-the-scenes settings not previously made public.
A trailer released in December offers an early look at the documentary’s tone and visual style. It features scenes of Melania Trump moving through formal interiors and preparing to attend the inauguration ceremony. In one moment, filmed just before she enters the event, Trump turns to the camera and remarks, “Here we go again,” a line that underscores the film’s focus on continuity and the weight of returning to a familiar role.
“Melania” will open in theaters nationwide Friday, with international screenings beginning the same day.
