Fact check: Did Craigslist ad offer people $50 to watch 'Melania' movie in Boston?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: First Lady Melania Trump's documentary 'Melania' premiered on Friday, January 30, across the United States, promising an intimate glimpse into Melania's life in the days leading up to her husband, President Donald Trump's January 2025 inauguration.
Following this, a rumor circulated online claiming that a Craigslist advertisement offered $50 and free movie tickets to people willing to watch the new documentary. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Craigslist ad offered people $50 to watch 'Melania' movie in Boston
The claim that a Craigslist advertisement offered $50 and free movie tickets to people willing to watch 'Melania' circulated across social media platforms, such as Reddit, Bluesky, and X.
An X post claimed, "Ticket sales to watch 'Melania' in Boston are so disastrous that they'll now pay you $50 to sit though it. From Craigslist:"
Similarly, another X post claimed, "There is now a Craigslist listing that will pay you to go see Melania in Boston now."
A Reddit thread also read, "They are literally paying people to sit through the Melania movie. This is an active listing on Craigslist Boston. $50 if you stay till the end."
Meanwhile, a Bluesky user also shared a similar claim.
Fact check: Partially true, Craigslist ad mentioned the offer before changing it
The claims made in the online rumor are partly true, as the Craigslist ad post was real, which was originally posted on Wednesday, January 28. However, it must be noted that the ad's legitimacy has not been verified.
The Craigslist ad on the website read, "Attend MELANIA documentary at any Boston area theatre during opening weekend (this upcoming weekend). Free tickets + $50 per seat occupied. Must remain in seats for entirety of film."
Interestingly, the ad later showed it had been updated at 7:48 AM on Friday, January 30, adding, "We are at capacity for this promotion. Those selected to attend the film will be contacted directly via email with relevant details today, Friday, 1/30. We are working to finalize arrangements now."
In a further update the same day, the post indicated that the promotion was not being offered on the advice of lawyers.
"Thank you for your interest in 'Melania: Twenty Days to History'. We had an incredible response to this offer and were excited to provide true American Patriots the opportunity to attend the best documentary ever created while providing some much-needed relief for Biden's economy. However, due to widespread coverage and backlash surrounding this offer in the fake news media, counsel has advised us that proceeding would run afoul of campaign finance laws. Considering the funding of the film by Amazon, we were shocked to hear this, but we cannot take the risk," the updated read.
It added, "Therefore, we are unable to move forward. As usual, this is the fault of the lunatic left and their corrupt election laws. They HATE America and will do anything to destroy this country. On the bright side, this incredible film is now SOLD OUT everywhere, with box office success like no one has EVER seen."
