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First Lady Melania Trump appeared at Capitol Hill to advocate for a bill addressing revenge porn and deepfake images. On Monday, she spoke about the dangers of AI-generated deepfake pornographic content circulating online and criticized Democrats for not publicly supporting the proposed Take It Down Act.
“It’s heartbreaking to witness some teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content,” the 54-year-old first lady said during the panel session with lawmakers.
“I was heartened to learn that [GOP] Senator [Ted] Cruz [of Texas] and [Dem] Senator [Amy] Klobuchar [of Minnesota] united to prioritize this fundamental matter,” she said. “I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat[ic] leaders with us here today to address this serious issue.”
“Surely as adults, we can prioritize American children ahead of partisan politics,” she continued.
Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) initially introduced the Take It Down Act, which would require websites hosting user-generated content to implement a “notice and takedown process” for deepfake pornography. The act would give websites and social media platforms two days to remove such content after being notified by a victim. The legislation also strengthens protections for victims of non-consensual sharing of sexual images.
Individuals who share non-consensual sexually explicit images, whether authentic or AI-generated, could face up to three years in prison if the material involves a minor and two years if the victim is an adult.
“By advocating this bill, Congress can take an important step towards ensuring accountability and fostering responsible online behavior,” Melania said. “The Take It Down Act represents our first step towards justice, healing, and unity.”
Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) introduced companion legislation in the House.
Joining the first lady at Monday’s panel session were Salazar and fellow Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.).
Cruz shared that the inspiration for the legislation came from Texan Elliston Berry, who was 14 years old when a male classmate posted a fabricated deepfake image of her online.
“I turned to my staff in my office that afternoon, and I said, ‘I want you to get the CEO of Snapchat on the phone today. I want those pictures down today.’ Within two hours, they pulled them down,” he recalled.
“It should not take a sitting senator or sitting member of Congress picking up the phone to get a picture down or a video down. It should be the right of every American, every teenage girl victimized.”
Berry recounted the traumatic experience of seeing sexually explicit images of herself that had been artificially generated from a past Instagram photo.
“I felt responsible and began to blame myself, and was ashamed to tell my parents, despite doing nothing wrong,” she said. “I lived in fear that [the fake images] would resurface.”
During President Donald Trump’s first term, Melania had previously addressed Congress about the country’s foster-care system and her “Be Best” initiative, which focuses on combating cyberbullying and promoting wellness among young people. After Trump’s re-election, she revived the program.
