Vance and Melania rake in millions from documentary, books, and NFTs
Federal financial disclosures show Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump saw sharp increases in income last year, even though both remained far below President Donald Trump’s substantial earnings from his cryptocurrency and real estate ventures.
Trump’s minimum reported earnings from his business empire topped $2.2 billion last year, according to the filings, a figure that dwarfed the income reported by senior figures in his political orbit.
Vance reported total income ranging from $1.4 million to $7.4 million in 2025, a sharp increase from roughly $213,000 to $1.3 million the previous year. The disclosure does not include his Senate salary, as he resigned the office 10 days before becoming vice president.
A significant share of Vance’s income came from royalties and advances tied to his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which generated between about $1.2 million and $5.2 million last year, up from less than $100,000 in 2024.
The filings also show Vance sold his stake in the venture fund Rise of the Rest, bringing in at least $100,000. The fund was co-founded in 2017 alongside AOL co-founder Steve Case at Revolution, the venture capital firm.
The disclosure did not report any income for his wife, Usha Vance, who left her position at a law firm during the 2024 campaign and now hosts a podcast on reading.
Melania Trump, meanwhile, reported earnings that exceeded those of the vice president, with business income totaling between $17.3 million and $18.2 million last year, up sharply from less than $1 million in 2024.
Much of the first lady’s income stemmed from a $10.7 million licensing deal tied to the Melania documentary project, which was acquired and distributed by Amazon. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has extensive business interests that could intersect with administration policy priorities. The company recently agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations it misled customers into signing up for Prime subscriptions.
The first lady also reported about $6 million from sales of a meme coin, “the sale of NFTs and other collectibles,” and roughly $500,000 from her memoir, Melania, rounding out a portfolio that placed her earnings above the vice president’s for the year.
The disclosures offer one of the most detailed annual snapshots of the finances of the president, vice president, and first lady, detailing income from investments, book deals, licensing agreements, and other outside business ventures while they serve in public office. Although the filings disclose broad ranges rather than exact amounts for many assets, they provide a window into how the administration’s highest-profile figures continue to earn income beyond their government roles.