First Lady Melania Trump made her first public appearance since returning to the White House, urging Congress to pass the Take It Down Act—a bill criminalizing the distribution of nonconsensual explicit images, including AI-generated deepfakes.
The details: Melania spoke alongside victims of online abuse, including teens targeted by AI-generated explicit images, to urge Congress to act “with a common goal, to protect our youth from online harm.”
The bill: The Take It Down Act is a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar, which would criminalize the sharing of nonconsensual intimate images (authentic or AI) with penalties of up to three years in prison. It would also require social media platforms to remove flagged content within 48 hours.
Victims: The First Lady was joined by several victims, including Elliston Berry, who at just 14 years old had a fake image of her face on a naked body circulated online. She told lawmakers:
- “I felt responsible and ashamed to tell my parents, despite doing nothing wrong.”
Melania swipes at absent Democrats: At the event, the First Lady said: “I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue. Surely, as adults, we can prioritize America’s children ahead of partisan politics.”
Trump comments: During the event’s live broadcast, President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Watching our First Lady now, great job!”
Next steps: The bill was passed in the Senate unanimously and will head to the House for approval before arriving on President Trump’s desk.
The last word goes to Melania, who said: “Addressing this issue is essential for fostering a safe and supportive environment for our young people.”