First Lady Melania Trump has the president’s ear. Marc Beckman has hers.
As senior adviser to the first lady, Beckman probably knows her as well as anyone, having worked with her for more than two decades. He met her through a mutual friend.
As an attorney who is also the CEO of the award-winning advertising agency DMA United, Beckman brokered the deal for the documentary after the first lady came up with the concept. The result is a nearly two-hour film offering a rare look at the life of a first lady, focused specifically on the 20 days before the 2025 inauguration.
First ladies did not capture significant public interest until 1962, when Jacqueline Kennedy gave a televised White House tour that drew more than 50 million viewers. Since then, there have been plenty of TV interviews and magazine covers featuring first ladies. But nothing comes close to a full-length documentary exploring what it is like being married to a president and the opportunities that the position offers. As a former fashion model, Melania Trump has brought glamor back to the White House.
A Groundbreaking Historical Document
That is in addition to something else most people do not know about her: daily hard work.
As a producer of the documentary, Beckman told The Epoch Times that he wants audiences to see that Melania Trump does more than host state dinners and handle the traditional duties of the first lady. She has decorated the White House for Christmas while working on legislation with Congress.
“People are being inspired [by the film],” he said. “They love the fact that this first lady can be so committed to both her family as well as her career.”
So why a documentary now, and why this snapshot of history? Beckman said the timing of the inauguration made perfect sense.
“Part of the motivation in telling this story is that these 20 days are historically relevant,” he said. “Nobody before has told this groundbreaking story. None of the inaugurations have ever been documented this way. The first lady thought there were a lot of people who would be interested in seeing what it takes to prepare for putting the country back on the world stage.”
Although the logistics of pulling off an inauguration are staggering, personal aspects of life are always involved.
“We felt that from a timing perspective, it’s a great moment,” Beckman said. “It’s only 20 days to really showcase what her life is like. Various parts of her life are unfolding as she’s doing that. How she works with her family during that time period, it’s very personal in some areas.”
And that is what the first lady had no problem sharing.
“Melania kind of opened the window into her world,” Beckman said. “Everything you see in the film, whether it is family, or behind-the-scenes preparation for the inauguration, all of this is part of her world. As her exclusive senior adviser, I played a role in helping her execute all that.”
A Woman Who Cares
The film documents another component of her life: philanthropy and human rights efforts. That includes her work with Fostering the Future, which focuses on improving the lives of foster children currently in homes and those transitioning out. Beckman also said the role she played in helping free an Israeli hostage was a story that needed to be told.
“We highlighted the first meeting that she had with the freed Israeli hostage, Aviva Siegel, which triggered a series of events, and ultimately she saved the person’s life,” Beckman said.
Aviva Siegel’s husband, Keith Siegel, was a hostage in the Gaza Strip. After that first meeting, a series of events occurred, and Beckman said it was because of the first lady’s efforts that Keith Siegel was freed.
One thing that audiences do not know: Every shot in the documentary was a first take. This allowed cameras to capture personal moments.
“We really did put the camera on her for those 20 days in a way where pretty much everything was covered,” Beckman said. “There are private moments between husband and wife that are captured, private moments between father and daughter. So we really get pretty personal.”
Regardless of political leanings, the documentary offers a unique view for audiences.
“Basically, everyone [seeing the film] is elated to see that there are stories that they’ve not been able to hear before that they can get to now,” he said. “You know, stories about her family, for example, they’re learning things about the government that they haven’t seen before.”
What the Audience Does Not See
Anything else that people should know about Melania? Although the documentary offers an unprecedented look at the life of the first lady, Beckman offered some personal thoughts that are not in the film.
“She’s the most committed person to her family,” he said. “She’s a very family-first-oriented person, and her career is super important to her. She’s one of the hardest-working people that I know. I can tell you firsthand, she and I haven’t taken a day off now in years. We work on the weekends; we work on holidays. We don’t stop working. So that’s something that people probably don’t know about her.”
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