Melania Trump’s upcoming documentary, Melania, set for release on January 30, 2026, conspicuously excludes any presence of her stepdaughter, Ivanka Trump, according to multiple sources. The deliberate omission signals persistent tension between the two women, a dynamic that has reportedly escalated over time.
A History of Competition
The roots of this rivalry trace back to Donald Trump’s first term in office. While Melania delayed her move to Washington, D.C., awaiting her son Barron’s school year completion, Ivanka stepped into the public void, aggressively positioning herself as a de facto First Lady. She leveraged social media, press releases, and high-profile engagements to establish dominance in the political sphere.
This move reportedly infuriated Melania, who privately mocked Ivanka as “The Princess” and resented the competition for media attention. As Stephanie Winston Wolkoff details in Melania and Me, the First Lady remained largely silent while Ivanka actively courted publicity, lobbying her father on issues such as climate change.
Recent Indicators of Strain
The feud continued to manifest in more recent events. In September, Ivanka was notably absent from a state dinner with the royal family—an exclusion that insiders suggest was intentional. A source from NewsNation claims that Melania felt overshadowed during a 2019 trip to the U.K. and refused to allow a repeat.
Melania’s Control
With Ivanka and Jared Kushner now distanced from the political arena, Melania appears to be asserting full control over her narrative. A preview of the documentary, as reported by Rob Shuter, confirms this shift: “It’s her story, her rules. Barron is protected, Ivanka is gone, and the spotlight never leaves Melania.”
The documentary’s omission of Ivanka underscores a clear message: Melania is reclaiming her position and ensuring that her legacy is defined on her own terms.
The situation highlights the often-overlooked power dynamics within high-profile families and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their status. The deliberate exclusion of Ivanka from Melania’s documentary is not merely a snub; it is a calculated move to consolidate power and rewrite the narrative of the Trump era.
