Melania Trump has shared an inside look at the tacky watch party of Melania, which had a private screening at the White House on Saturday.
The first lady threw an intimate, 70-person screening of Amazon’s $75 million documentary for friends, family, and assorted VIPs in a makeshift theater on Saturday evening.
A video posted by Melania on Sunday shows the White House’s East Room transformed for the black tie event, where guests were welcomed by a full military band playing “Melania’s Waltz,” composed for the film by Hollywood composer Tony Neiman, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
One shot shows Melania and President Donald Trump stepping into the theater as the audience applauds. In another, Melania poses for the camera in front of a white wall emblazoned with her name in large black letters.
The screening was reportedly the debut viewing of the film for Donald Trump. Before Saturday, only the movie’s director, Brett Ratner, Melania, and a small number of associates had seen it.
Donald and Melania’s son Barron, 19, was also in attendance at the event. Other guests included Queen Rania of Jordan, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, former boxer Mike Tyson, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, New York Stock Exchange CEO Lynn Martin, AMD CEO Lisa Su, and Erika Kirk.
The attendees have faced intense backlash for showing up at the screening on the same day federal agents shot and killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
One guest told the Reporter that attendees were given commemorative black-and-white popcorn boxes, framed collectible screening tickets, and “take-home cookies” stamped with the first lady’s name.
Conservative influencer Link Lauren posted a photo of himself posing with the Trumps at the screening, writing, “MELANIA is incredible. As a student of history, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s not a documentary; it’s a film that takes you on a cinematic journey.”
The White House Family Theater, a 40-seater where presidents have traditionally screened movies, was demolished in October to make way for Trump’s gaudy new $400 million ballroom.
Melania is slated to get an official red-carpet premiere at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday evening, one day ahead of its official release.
The documentary, which follows Melania during the “20 days” prior to her husband’s second presidential inauguration in January of last year, is widely expected to bomb.
Entertainment reporter Rob Shuter claimed that advance ticket sales are “dismal,” with theaters expected to be “practically empty.”
