Trump Brings Disgraced ‘Melania’ Director to China

A controversial Hollywood director once pushed out of the industry after multiple sexual misconduct allegations is now reportedly flying aboard Air Force One with President Donald Trump during a high-stakes trip to China — raising fresh questions about the people orbiting Trump’s inner circle.

Brett Ratner, the director behind the first lady’s documentary Melania, joined the president’s delegation as Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss major business deals and international partnerships. According to the New York Post, Ratner traveled alongside top administration officials and several billionaire executives, including Elon Musk and outgoing Tim Cook.

The trip is expected to include announcements involving major American companies, with one rumored agreement tied to Boeing.

But Ratner’s presence is already generating backlash online due to his long and troubled history in Hollywood.

The 57-year-old filmmaker effectively disappeared from the entertainment industry after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct during the height of the #MeToo movement. Actress Olivia Munn was among the women who publicly accused Ratner of inappropriate behavior. Ratner denied all allegations, but the fallout was devastating. Warner Bros. severed ties with him, and Ratner eventually relocated to Israel in 2023.

Then came Melania.

Ratner stunned Hollywood when he resurfaced as director of the documentary centered on first lady Melania Trump after Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for licensing rights and poured another $35 million into promotion.

Ratner later described getting the job as “divine intervention.”

“I felt like I won just when Melania called me and asked me to direct the film,” Ratner said after the release. “The access they gave me was beyond my wildest imagination.”

Despite the massive budget and heavy promotion, the film failed to become the cultural hit Trump allies hoped for. Melania reportedly brought in just over $16 million at the box office, and controversy continued behind the scenes, with several crew members allegedly asking to have their names removed from the credits entirely.

Now Ratner appears to be betting everything on a sequel decades in the making: Rush Hour 4.

During the China trip, Ratner is reportedly scouting locations for the troubled project, which is expected to film in China, Saudi Arabia, and parts of Africa. But production has already hit major roadblocks.

Sources say stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker have not signed contracts and allegedly rejected Ratner’s initial salary offers, which were reportedly far below what they earned for 2007’s Rush Hour 3.

The reboot has also drawn attention because Trump himself reportedly pushed for the franchise to return, allegedly pressuring David Ellison — son of billionaire Trump donor Larry Ellison — to revive one of his favorite action-comedy series.

Ratner’s reappearance around Trumpworld is also reigniting scrutiny over his past connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ratner was among several high-profile figures photographed in Epstein-related files, including one image showing him embracing Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel.

As Trump’s China trip continues, critics are already questioning why a director whose Hollywood career collapsed in scandal is suddenly finding himself back in elite political and business circles — and whether Melania was just the beginning of Ratner’s attempted comeback.