Melania documentary poster vandalised with Hitler moustache amid ICE action–bus riders say ‘represents what's going on’

The posters for “Melania,” a documentary film about the first lady, Melania Trump, were vandalised with Hitler graffiti and more at bus stops across Los Angeles.

According to the LA Times, the Melania posters were being scribbled with devil horns, a Hitler-style moustache, expletives referring to her husband, Donald Trump's, association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and a lot more.

Some of the posters read “Melania is in the Epstein files”, while others had “Eva Braun,” Hitler's long-time lover, written on them, reported Fox 11 LA.

This “extensive and severe” vandalism spree, LA Metro officials said, occurred after federal immigration agents last weekend shot and killed US citizen Alex Pretti amid widespread tumultuous protests in Minneapolis.

The ads have run for three weeks out of a four-week ad buy. The “Melania” documentary, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, will be released in theatres on Friday.

Bus routes changed

Worried that the vandals would also target actual buses sporting ads for Melania Trump’s namesake documentary, LA Metro was forced to reroute buses to other locations where there are fewer such concerns, Metro spokesperson Patrick Chandler said.

“Given that Metro buses have had significant vandalism and damage during previous periods of heightened public activity,” Chandler told the LA Times in the emailed statement, adding that they have made the decision “in the interest of protecting our riders, employees and assets, and out of an abundance of caution,” to shift some of these buses to areas where we were not observing that vandalism.

Bus riders share views on Melania poster vandalism

Talking to Fox 11 LA, a bus rider said that Melania represents Trump and, referring to the ICE action, claimed that people are not happy.

“She represents part of what's going on,” the rider said. “If you have let's say Hitler's wife and they make a movie about her, I don't think people are going to be happy about her either, even if she didn't do anything wrong.”

“She's related to that guy so, indirectly she getting all the flack,” said another bus rider.

A rider said that they “understand people disagree with things,” but said “damaging public transport is not the best idea”. “…but I do definitely understand where they are coming from,” the rider said.

Melania premiere

Melania, a documentary about the deeply private, enigmatic first lady who has kept a low public profile during her husband’s second term, premiered on January 29.

It was attended by top Trump administration officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

They strode upon a black – not red – carpet in front of a large backdrop emblazoned with the word “MELANIA” in black-and-white letters as flashbulbs popped.

The trailer of “Melania” opens on Inauguration Day in January 2025, showing her donning a navy wide-brimmed hat for the ceremony at the US Capitol. It also depicts her role as an adviser to the president, including a moment in which she encourages him to emphasise “peacemaker and unifier” in his inaugural address.