Foreign Media: "Turning the Role of First Lady into a Commercial Brand"
It has been reported that Melania Trump, the wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, received tens of millions of dollars (hundreds of billions of won) to produce a documentary film in which she is the main subject, sparking controversy.
On December 28 (local time), Bloomberg published an editorial titled "Melania Trump Had the Worst Year," pointing out, "She often appears more like a content creator than a First Lady."
The documentary film "Melania," which will be released in theaters worldwide on January 30, depicts Melania Trump's activities in various fields during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump's inauguration in January of last year. Melania also participated as a producer in this film, and there have been reports that Amazon Prime Video will additionally release a three-part sequel to the documentary. However, controversy has arisen over the fact that Melania reportedly received a guarantee of about 40 million dollars (approximately 57.3 billion won) for the documentary and its sequels.
Bloomberg criticized, "Melania has turned the public office of First Lady into a commercial brand," adding, "History will judge Melania harshly." First Ladies typically support the operation of the White House through 'soft power.' While Melania did show interest in issues such as the repatriation of abducted Ukrainian children, critics have pointed out that her efforts remained superficial.
At the end of President Trump's first term in 2021, Melania's approval rating stood at 42%, the lowest among First Ladies in history. In a poll conducted at the end of last year, only 36% of respondents said they had a positive impression of the First Lady.
Rhonda Elaine Fox, who was in charge of women's engagement strategy for former President Joe Biden's campaign, remarked, "While the public is struggling with rising prices, the First Lady is busy making movies." Popular podcast host Tommy Vietor strongly criticized, "Amazon essentially offered a bribe for a video that would be more fitting for the White House press office to produce."
Amazon donated 1 million dollars (about 1.447 billion won) to President Trump's inauguration fund and also provided in-kind contributions worth 1 million dollars for live broadcast equipment for the inauguration event.
President Donald Trump (right) and First Lady Melania attending the 250th anniversary ceremony of the U.S. Navy held in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. Photo by Yonhap News
The fact that Brett Ratner, the director of "Melania," was previously accused in the "Me Too" movement has also sparked controversy. In November 2017, Ratner faced legal battles over allegations of sexual harassment and assault. He was ousted from the film industry after six women, including actresses Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn, accused him of sexual misconduct. However, Ratner has denied all allegations. Following his work on "Melania," Ratner has also taken up the director's role for "Rush Hour 4."
Meanwhile, the trailer for "Melania" shows then President-elect Trump rehearsing his inaugural speech and reading a line, "My proudest legacy is as a peacemaker," to which Melania interjects, adding, "Peacemaker and unifier." According to The New York Times, the trailer portrays Melania as a confident and proactive woman, providing direct input not only on her husband's speech but also on dress design and other matters.
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