Overview
- Jeff Bezos told CNBC on Wednesday that he played no part in Amazon MGM Studios’ decision to acquire or release the documentary Melania and repeated that the choice was made by Amazon’s teams.
- Reporting says Amazon MGM paid about $40 million to acquire the film and spent roughly $35 million on marketing, while the documentary grossed about $16.6 million in theaters but posted strong early viewing on Prime Video.
- Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Hank Johnson opened inquiries in March into whether the size and timing of the deal resembled a pay‑to‑play or bribery risk, and Amazon has denied any improper conduct.
- In the same interview Bezos defended recent Washington Post staffing and opinion changes and described President Trump as more 'mature' in his second term, remarks that have added to scrutiny over his media influence.
- Bezos’s public distancing underscores a broader tension between a billionaire owner’s business decisions and political optics, and it may prompt further congressional oversight and media scrutiny of how entertainment deals intersect with access to the White House.