Behind the polished marketing and hefty price tag, the Melania Trump documentary was reportedly unraveling behind the scenes. According to a bombshell report from Rolling Stone, the production was so chaotic and demoralizing that multiple crew members quietly hoped the film would fail.
Several people who worked on the Amazon MGM Studios project described the set as deeply disorganized, with confusion and dysfunction baked into nearly every stage of production. One crew member reportedly called it a “total circus,” saying morale was so low that watching the project collapse wouldn’t be disappointing—it would be validating.
The frustration ran so deep that nearly two-thirds of the New York-based crew allegedly requested to have their names removed from the film’s credits. In an industry where credits are essential for future work, that level of disassociation is virtually unheard of and speaks volumes about how damaging the experience felt to those involved.
At the center of the unrest was director Brett Ratner, whose return to filmmaking has already been controversial following multiple sexual misconduct allegations during the #MeToo movement. Several crew members reportedly struggled with the decision to work under Ratner, describing his involvement as the most troubling aspect of the production. His close ties to the Trump family—including time spent at Mar-a-Lago during filming—only fueled concerns that the documentary lacked editorial independence.
Rather than a rigorous or revealing portrait, crew members feared they were helping produce an expensive promotional piece disguised as a documentary. That concern was compounded by the intense security surrounding Melania Trump. With Secret Service protocols dictating every move, filming lacked spontaneity, and even minor adjustments required extensive clearance. Crew members said the production appeared ill-equipped to handle those constraints, leading to delays and mounting frustration.
All of this unfolded against the backdrop of a massive financial gamble. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly invested around $75 million in the project, including $40 million for the rights and tens of millions more for global marketing. Despite a media push that included appearances on conservative outlets, early projections reportedly suggest a muted debut.
If the documentary struggles upon release, it won’t just reflect a costly miscalculation by the studio. For many who worked on it, a flop would confirm what they felt all along—that the chaos behind the camera ultimately undermined whatever story the film hoped to tell.
