‘We Need Stories That Inspire Dreams’

First lady Melania Trump rang the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell ahead of her soon-to-be-released documentary.

On Wednesday, Jan. 28, Melania, 55, appeared on Wall Street in front of business leaders to kick off the day’s trading session. Her office described the ceremonial honor as a chance to mark an “impactful year of leadership” as first lady during the first 12 months of President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

NYSE president Lynn Martin presented the first lady with a medallion that ringers are typically given, and said that for the first time, the NYSE had made an engraved commemorative plate for Melania to congratulate her on the launch of her documentary.

Her husband and son, Barron, did not attend the appearance. Donald is in Washington, D.C., to headline a U.S. Treasury Department summit on Wednesday morning that also features rapper Nicki Minaj and businessman Kevin O’Leary.

While delivering brief remarks before ringing the bell, the first lady spoke about her self-titled documentary, Melania.

“Superior storytelling drives culture and in turn moves markets,” she said. “In the near future, cultural influence will matter as much as economic power. Our ability to tell our stories and emotionally connect with audiences is paramount. People long to be moved.”

“We need stories that inspire dreams, offer hope, tales of redemption, sad stories, love stories, and funny stories,” she continued. “We want to feel human.”

She touted that the film will be “the first time in history” that people see the lead-up to an inauguration through a first lady’s eyes, describing her husband’s return to office as an “important period.”

“Visual storytelling and beautiful music create memories for a lifetime. What do you remember when you hear Rolling Stones? Michael Jackson?” she said. “Films bring families and friends together, sitting side by side, sharing a collective moment. In doing so, they will not simply watch a film, they will participate in a great American tradition and become part of our nation’s history. Thank you for joining me on this historic morning and enjoy the film.”

The first lady’s New York City appearance comes during a busy press week, as she prepares to premiere Melania at the Kennedy Center on Thursday, Jan. 29, before it reaches theaters globally on Jan. 30.

Melania follows the first lady in the first 20 days of 2025, leading up to her husband’s second inauguration.

The movie, purchased by Amazon MGM Studios for $40 million and directed by Brett Ratner, includes never-before-seen moments from the family’s transition back to Washington, highlighting the role Melania played throughout the process.

There will be several concurrent, invitation-only screenings on Thursday night at cities across the country, including New York, Boston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Press were not invited to any screenings before the film reaches theaters on Friday.

In a Jan. 25 post on X, Melania, shared a photo of herself standing at a podium in front of a crowd gathered at the White House on Saturday, Jan. 24, for a private first viewing of the documentary.

“A Historic Moment,” she wrote on the platform. “I am deeply humbled to have been surrounded by an inspiring room of friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts at the White House last night. Each of these individuals brought their unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression.”

“Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, MELANIA, ahead of its global launch,” she added.

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Approximately $35 million has been spent on marketing for the film, according to a CNN report, from billboards to ads and even on the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The first lady served as the film’s executive producer, making her deeply involved in the process, Melania’s senior adviser and agent Marc Beckman told One America News. 

“She was involved in the production, the postproduction, all of the ad campaign, the trailer. … And when I say involved, I mean she’s not just approving. She built that trailer. She created the cliffhanger, she selected the music. Same thing with the ad campaign that we’re seeing worldwide now in almost 30 countries,” Beckman said.