First Lady Melania Trump appeared on Capitol Hill for the first time since her return to the White House. She participated in a discussion with legislators and victims of AI-generated deepfakes and revenge porn, as Congress focuses on penalizing internet abuse that involves non-consensual and explicit images.
Melania Trump told reporters on Monday that she was “here with you to work together with a shared goal: protecting our children from harm online.” The widespread use of abuse in the digital realm affects our families, children, and communities daily.
She said that addressing this issue was essential to fostering a supportive and safe environment for young people. I hope that today’s Roundtable will raise awareness about the dangers of nonconsensual sexual images and ultimately lead to the passage of the Take it Down Act by Congress.
Take It Down Act was introduced by Senators in the Senate. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who introduced the Take It Down Act, would criminalize publishing or threatening to publish nonconsensual images of intimacy, such as “digital fakes” created by artificial intelligence. Cruz said Monday that he believed the bill would pass the House and become law before it was passed unanimously by the Senate in 2025.
For sharing intimate pictures- whether authentic or AI generated- that are not consented to by minors, the law could impose a maximum of three years’ imprisonment. This would be doubled for images that involve adults. The law would also require up to three years of prison time for sharing nonconsensual intimate images- authentic or AI-generated- involving minors and two years for those involving adults.
Trump’s supporters included California Democratic Rep. Khanna as well as Republicans like Cruz, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La. ), House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich. ), and Reps. Maria Salazar and Brett Guthrie.
This bill requires social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram to implement procedures to remove content that violates the law within 48 hours after receiving notification from the victim.
Salazar, along with Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), introduced the bill in the House of Representatives in January. The measure will be considered by the House Energy and Commerce Committees before being brought before the House.
Salazar spoke at the roundtable and praised the bill for forcing Big Tech to take down images in 48 hours. “There will be no more excuses.”
She said: “The Take It Down Act sends a big message that Big Tech must remove these images and fake images within 48 hours. There are no more excuses. If not, Big Tech will be as guilty as those who are aggressors.”
AI-generated photos, also known as “deepfakes”, are often created by editing videos or photos of people in order to have them appear like another person. This is done using artificial intelligence. In 2017, a Redditor posted pornography that looked like it was taken from a celebrity. This opened the floodgates for users to use AI to create images that look more realistic.
Melania Trump said that the risk of privacy breaches in today’s AI-driven world is high. As organizations use our data to their full potential, they are increasing the risks of unauthorized access and misuse of personal information. To protect privacy, we must prioritise robust security and adhere to strict ethical standards.
Almost every state in the U.S. has laws protecting individuals from intimate images that are not consented to. However, these laws differ in classification and penalties.
Cruz defended the bill and lamented how AI-generated images of explicit sexual content have harmed young girls.
Cruz stated during the roundtable that “if you are a victim to revenge porn, or AI-generated images with explicit content, then your life will change forever.” Most likely, you have been targeted by someone close to you and are struggling to remove the material from the Internet. Many of the victims in this case are teens at American high schools who have been subjected to a flood of AI-generated images. “Hundreds of teenagers, many targeted by classmates, suffer senseless psychological damage.”
He continued, “The Take It Down Act empowers all victims in the United States.” It is a crime for deviants who publish non-consensual images, including lifelike, fake pornographic pictures of real people.
Melania Trump explained that Elliston Berry, 15, was also present on Monday. Her high school peers had used AI technology to produce nonconsensual images of her, which they then shared across social media.
Trump stated, “It is heartbreaking to see young girls and teens struggling with malicious content online, such as deepfakes.” This toxic environment is dangerous. It is important to prioritize the well-being of our youth by providing them with tools and support that will help them navigate this hostile online landscape. “Every young person should have a space online where they can express themselves without fear of harm or exploitation.”
Berry, who is a native of Texas, said that she had just turned 14 when, in 2023, she discovered that “a previous Instagram photo made with my face and a nude frame was being circulated on social media.
Berry described her feelings as “fear, disgust and shock”. I felt guilty and started to blame myself. And I was ashamed to say to my parents. I did nothing wrong. “I was afraid of what people would say or if someone recreated these pictures.”
The young woman went on to say, “Big tech needs to be held accountable for their actions.” I came to this meeting to promote the bill and to defend the rights of millions of survivors. Males, females, teenagers, and children are all affected by this rise in image-based abuse. It is not acceptable. Take It Down will provide justice and give voice to victims.”
Francesca Mani, a 14-year-old girl from New Jersey, also said that when she, along with other girls, found fake images of themselves on the internet.
Mani stated that teenagers may not be familiar with all laws but know what is wrong. Schools must take serious, immediate action against AI abuse, deepfakes, and harassment.
The sharing of nonconsensual, AI-generated images has affected not only young girls but also young boys and adult men. Breeze Liu, a woman aged 24, told the roundtable that she had worked hard to remove AI-generated images of her that appeared on a website in 2020.
She said, “A friend told me that there was a video on Pornhub of me. At first, I thought that it was an error. When I clicked on the link, I found my picture in a pornographic clip. It is impossible to describe the devastation that I experienced. I was humiliated.”
Brandon Guffey, a Republican South Carolina State Rep., joined the lawmakers and first lady to recount how his son of 17 years committed suicide after being caught in a scam involving sextortion in 2022.
He shared, “I lost Gavin Guffey by suicide, my oldest child. We quickly discovered that he had been extorted on the internet. Someone pretending to be a female student at another university asked for images to be sent back and forth. Not long after sharing the images, he committed suicide. It was one hour, forty minutes between the moment he was first contacted and the time he ended his life.”
Johnson has thanked the “extraordinary witnesses” for their testimony, pointing out that they were very articulate.
Johnson stated that as technology advances, unspeakable evils are becoming part of culture, and laws must keep pace. We are eager to get the bill on the House floor and to the President Trump desk to sign it.
This was the first time since the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 that the First Lady has made public comments.
Melania Trump, during the first Trump Administration, hosted virtual roundtables about foster care in her “Be Best Initiative” and concentrated on strengthening the system of child welfare. In addition to online safety, the “Be Best’ initiative focused on foster care during Melania Trump’s first administration.
She said that her commitment as first lady to the “Be Best” initiative highlights the importance of internet safety. In an age where online interactions have become a part of daily life, we must protect children against hurtful and mean-spirited behavior.
She worked on legislation with Congress members during her husband’s term as President to secure funding to support grants for youth or young adults who are or were in foster care, to pay for school, training, or career schools. In December 2020, the bill was finally signed by President Trump.
Trump praised Democratic Senator Klobuchar for her bipartisanship and Republican Senator Cruz’s support but said she felt let down because Democrats did not offer any additional support.
She said, “I admit that I had expected more Democratic leaders to be here to discuss this important issue.” As adults, surely we can put America’s kids ahead of political partisanship. I encourage Congress to give priority to the Take It Down Act. The Take It Down Act is vital for protecting online privacy, protecting the rights of individuals, and creating a healthy digital environment.
Rep. Lisa McClain personally thanked her Democratic colleague Rep. Ro Khanna for his attendance at the roundtable.
Melania Trump ended her remarks with a call to Congress for the passage of the bill, which would mark “a powerful step towards justice, healing, and unification.”
She continued, “Congress could take an important first step in ensuring accountability online and encouraging responsible behavior. The Take It Down Act is a significant step towards justice, healing, and unity.”