Melania Trump wages war on revenge porn, explicit AI deepfakes during congressional roundtable

Melania Trump spoke on Capitol Hill on Monday for the first time since returning to the White House, joining lawmakers and victims of revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes in a roundtable discussion. The focus was on combating internet abuse involving non-consensual, explicit images.

"I am here with you today with a common goal — to protect our youth from online harm," she said. "The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families, and communities."

"Addressing this issue is essential for fostering a safe and supportive environment for our young people," the first lady added, per Fox News. "I hope today’s roundtable builds awareness of the harm caused by nonconsensual intimate imagery and eventually the approval of the Take it Down Act in Congress."

"In today's AI-driven world, the threat of privacy breaches is alarmingly high," Melania Trump explained. "As organizations harness the power of our data, the risk of unauthorized access and misuses of personal information escalates. We must prioritize robust security measures and uphold strict ethical standards to protect individual privacy."

The roundtable discussion centered around the “Take it Down Act,” a bill introduced in the Senate by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The bill makes it a crime to publish or threaten to publish nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated pictures of others. Cruz expressed optimism that the bill would soon be approved in the House after passing through the Sente earlier this year.

If passed, federal law would impose penalties of up to three years in prison for sharing nonconsensual, explicit images — whether authentic or AI-generated — of minors. Publishing those images of adults would require a penalty of two years in prison. Additionally, social media companies would be required to remove such content within 48 hours of being notified by the victim.

Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) emphasized the urgency of the legislation, saying, “No more excuses. If not, Big Tech, then will be just as guilty as the aggressors."

During the roundtable, victims like Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old from Texas, shared their experiences with AI-generated deepfakes. Berry recounted discovering that a nude image with her face had been created and circulated online when she was just 14. “I felt responsible and ashamed to tell my parents, despite doing nothing wrong,” she said.

Francesca Mani, a New Jersey teen, similarly recounted finding deepfake images of herself online at age 14, calling for schools to take immediate action.

Cruz also highlighted the devastating psychological toll on victims, particularly young girls. “If you're a victim of revenge porn or AI-generated explicit imagery, your life changes forever,” he said, adding that many victims are teenagers facing psychological harm from classmates.

Melania's remarks on Monday marked her first public appearance since her husband's inauguration in January. She concluded saying that passing the law would be a "powerful step toward justice, healing and unity."