What to Know
Apparently, Melania Trump’s upcoming documentary sheds light on her allegedly complicated relationship with Ivanka, but not because of any new details included. Instead, people who have seen the film prior to its January 30, 2026 release say Ivanka, 44, was not included in the documentary at all. Not because she was busy or because she didn’t want to be in it, but because Melania, 55, reportedly didn’t want her to be involved. The Amazon MGM Studios doc, titled Melania, is said to focus on the first lady’s return to the White House. At the same time, it seems to confirm that she and Ivanka don’t have a great relationship, and that she’s extremely protective of her son, Barron.
An insider says Melania made the “intentional” decision to exclude Ivanka.
Journalist Rob Shuter spoke to some insiders who have seen Melania’s upcoming documentary. In a Substack post, he said Ivanka is noticeably absent from the film, and that wasn’t an accident. “Melania and Ivanka do not get along — not at all,” an insider told him. “There’s real tension, and Melania made it clear she didn’t want Ivanka anywhere near this film.” Ouch.
Another source seemed to confirm this claim, telling Rob that “Ivanka’s absence is intentional” because “this is Melania’s world, and she wanted it that way.”
It’s not the first time the alleged tension between Melania and Ivanka has come to light. A source previously described their relationship as “cordial, but not close,” per CNN. In a book titled American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, Katie Rogers claimed that the two women had an “internal power struggle” throughout Trump’s first term.
Melania’s doc also seems to confirm that she is a protective mom.
While her relationships with her stepchildren might be strained, Melania is known for looking out for her son Barron. She allegedly even confronted her stepson Eric when he mentioned Baron during an interview earlier this year. And because she’s so protective of Barron, he’s not in the doc much (though still has more appearances than Ivanka).
A source told Rob that she’s “fiercely protective of him” and goes out of her way to avoid putting him “in any even slightly awkward situation.” Another insider claimed that because Barron “exists in public only on her terms,” Melania was very involved in the creation of the documentary. “Every single scene with Barron had to be approved by her,” the source said.
