Melania Trump to Receive an Oscar? Donald Convinced FLOTUS' Doc Is an 'Awards Juggernaut'

President Donald Trump has reportedly been telling allies in Washington that Melania Trump is on track for an Oscar, insisting in recent weeks that the First Lady's documentary Melania: 20 Days to History, released in US cinemas on Jan. 30, is destined for awards glory. The claim, attributed to unnamed insiders speaking to RadarOnline, hinges on Trump's belief that the film is precisely the sort of project the Academy will reward.

The documentary premiered at the Kennedy Center on Jan. 29 before expanding nationwide the following day. It follows Melania Trump across the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid $40 million for global rights and committed to a theatrical rollout, a figure that has fuelled ongoing debate about the studio's motives and the White House's influence.

Those numbers have only heightened scrutiny around a film that has already drawn a strikingly polarised reception. While Trump's confidence in the project is no surprise to anyone familiar with his appetite for trophies and televised triumphs, the gap between his assessment and the critical response has made the early weeks of the documentary's life unusually charged.

Oscar Talk Inside Trumpworld

A source described as close to the president told RadarOnline that Trump sees the 104‑minute film as an 'awards juggernaut,' insisting he has been promoting it privately as both 'historic' and 'exactly what the Academy wants.' Another longtime confidant, quoted in the same report, offered a blunter assessment of Trump's mindset, saying he 'adores awards. Oscars, Emmys, plaques, magazine covers – anything shiny that says "winner." He genuinely believes Melania deserves Hollywood's highest honour.'

The White House has reinforced that enthusiasm. In a statement to Radar, officials said the president was 'very proud of the First Lady and her incredible new film, which has received rave reviews from even the toughest of critics'. That assertion does not align with the broader critical consensus, but it reflects the administration's strategy to lean in fully and frame the documentary as a cultural milestone regardless of reception.

The production carries Melania Trump's imprint. She is credited as executive producer, with Brett Ratner directing. Critics have seized on that creative control, describing the documentary as meticulously managed and politically convenient. Variety's Owen Gleiberman dismissed it as a 'shameless infomercial,' and others have compared its tone to older state‑driven propaganda films.

Critics and Audiences

On Rotten Tomatoes, 53 critic reviews have produced an 11% score, with the site's summary describing the documentary as 'presented with great pomp and circumstance but little insight.' Metacritic has been even harsher, assigning a score of five out of 100 based on 17 reviews and marking it 'overwhelming dislike.'

The audience view is almost the mirror opposite. Verified viewers on Rotten Tomatoes have rated the film at 99%, and CinemaScore voters gave it an A grade. These disparities are not unheard of for political films, but few recent releases show such a dramatic split between professional and public reaction.

Box office figures add another layer. The documentary earned $7 million in its US opening weekend from 1,500 cinemas, placing third overall. This marks the biggest non‑concert documentary opening since Chimpanzee in 2012. Worldwide, revenue has reached $16.6 million, still far below the $40 million Amazon invested but enough to keep momentum alive, especially with a follow‑up docuseries already in development.

Marketing for the film has been aggressive. Reports cite a $35 million promotional spend, including billboards in Los Angeles that were vandalised, a launch event at the Las Vegas Sphere and an extended series of advance screenings in 20 US cities, which largely bypassed mainstream press in favour of audiences supportive of the Trump administration.

Trump himself has embraced the film as part of his political theatre, mocking former President Barack Obama's Netflix deal at the premiere and repeatedly praising the documentary as 'incredible.' Another source quoted by Radar captured the sentiment driving his Oscar talk, saying: 'In Trump logic, awards aren't earned – they're claimed. If Melania doesn't get nominated, he'll say it was rigged. Guaranteed.'

Melania Trump has framed the documentary as 'purposeful storytelling' rather than traditional reportage, highlighting the level of control she held over presentation, editing and even the soundtrack, which featured songs by Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones amid reportedly tense licensing negotiations. The film ends up reflecting a portrait shaped from the inside out, and that, perhaps more than anything, explains both the devotion of its supporters and the hostility of its critics.