First lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance on Capitol Hill on Monday to push a bipartisan bill aimed at combatting revenge porn and deepfake sex images.
The former supermodel spoke about the horrors of artificial-intelligence-powered deepfake pornographic images that have swirled online and called out Democrats for not being more publicly supportive of 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 first lady, 54, 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.”
Melania, who usually steers clear of the limelight, previously spoke to members of Congress during her husband’s last term about the country’s foster-care system.
After her husband’s 2024 electoral victory, the first lady revived her “Be Best” initiative, which aims to combat cyberbullying and promote wellness among young people.
The proposed Take It Down Act, which was introduced by Cruz (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in the Senate, would require websites that feature user-generated content to have a “notice and takedown process” for deepfake porn.
Websites, including social media platforms, would have two days to take down such content after being informed about it by a victim. The legislation also enhances protections for victims who have had sexual images shared without their consent.
Perpetrators who share sexually explicit nonconsensual images, including both authentic and AI-generated ones, could face up to three years behind bars if the material is of 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 responsibly online behavior,” Melania said. “The Take It Down Act represents our first step towards justice, healing and unity.”
Last month, the Senate unanimously passed the bill by voice vote, and House Republican leaders intend to move it through the lower chamber as well.
“If you’re a victim of revenge porn or AI-generated explicit imagery, your life changes forever,” said Cruz, 54, who has two daughters, during the roundtable event.
“Disturbingly, many of these victims are teenagers at American high schools,” he said.
Reps. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) introduced the companion legislation in the House.
Those joining the first lady at Monday’s panel session included Salazar and fellow Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and 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.).
“I represent Silicon Valley,” Khanna, 48, said during the session. “America should lead in making sure that technology protects kids and protects people. And I think this bill, as you’ve crafted it, Senator Cruz, balances the free-speech concerns with the protections.”
The lawmakers also heard from several victims of deepfake pornography.
Cruz recounted how the inspiration for the legislation came from Texan Elliston Berry, who was 14 years old when a male classmate posted a salacious 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 pull 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 recalled the horrifying experience of seeing sexually explicit images of herself that had been artificially generated from a past Instagram picture of herself.
“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.”
Most states already have existing laws on the books to combat revenge porn, but the exact rules and penalties vary.
Many prominent women, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and pop icon Taylor Swift, have been victims of deepfake porn.
