JUST IN:Melania Trump needs to do one thing if she wants to ‘reposition’ herself with new film, says expert…MORE DETAILS

JUST IN:Melania Trump needs to do one thing if she wants to ‘reposition’ herself with new film, says expert…MORE DETAILS

Melania Trump is stepping back into the spotlight with a new Amazon MGM Studios documentary set to release in January 2026.

According to a veteran public relations expert, the success of the documentary depends on how the First Lady reshapes her public identity. The expert thinks she needs to “humanize herself” if she hopes for a reinvention.

David E. Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision PR Group, said that the First Lady, who recently recalled the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-lago, faces a different challenge than other public figures who’ve reinvented themselves. “Melania Trump’s potential to follow in the footsteps of Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham depends on how she controls the narrative surrounding her and her transformation,” Johnson told The Mirror US exclusively.

“Markle and Beckham were successful in how they rebranded themselves because they controlled a carefully scripted and planned campaign that told compelling stories of their reinvention.”

Melania Trump’s documentary is set release in January 2026
“For Markle, it was from Suits actress to royal princess to humanitarian and lifestyle expert. For Beckham, it was from famous pop star to designer. The transition to their new brand told a story that the public followed and bought into.”

Johnson said Melania’s brand is still strongly tied to her husband’s presidency and the controversies around it. That, he said, sets her apart from others who successfully distanced themselves from past identities.

“Unlike Markle (in the beginning) and Beckham, Melania’s identity is tied to Donald Trump’s presidency, controversy over him and her as First Lady,” he said.

“She is also unlike Markle and Beckham a very private person. She is probably the most private First Lady since Bess Truman.”

That privacy, Johnson argued, could be a barrier.

Meghan Markle completely rebranded her image in the public eye
“She has resisted accessibility, relatability, and reinvention during her time in the public eye, which are essential if she is to follow in Markle’s and Beckham’s footsteps,” he said.

“If she truly wants a Beckham- or Markle-style transformation, she’ll need to open up, humanize her image, and craft a compelling ‘life after the White House’ narrative that isn’t defined by Donald Trump.”

Amazon’s documentary, titled Melania, offers a rare view of the First Lady’s life.

The film follows her during the 20 days leading up to the 2025 inauguration. The studio says it includes behind-the-scenes footage and personal moments from Trump Tower to the White House.

Johnson sees the film as a possible first step in a rebranding attempt.

“We could be seeing the start of the repositioning with the Amazon documentary, a soft pivot from First Lady to cultural personality,” he said. “But the success of that pivot will depend entirely on how authentic and strategic her rebrand feels to the public. If it seems real, she can do it. If it seems contrived, forced, and inauthentic, she will flop.”

According to Variety, Amazon paid $40 million for the rights.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.