First Lady Melania Trump joined a roundtable on Capitol Hill Monday that focused on the “Take It Down” act, the first bill of its kind to protect victims of deepfake revenge porn.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., co-sponsored the plan.
However, Rep. Ro Khanna was the only Democrat present at the discussion.
“I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue,” Trump said. “Surely as adults, we can prioritize America’s children ahead of partisan politics.”
The first lady did not mince words in her brief speech. She spoke plainly of the villainous dangers artificial intelligence poses to young people.
“In today’s AI-driven world, the threat of privacy breaches is alarmingly high. As organizations harness the power of our data, the risk of unauthorized access and misuse of personal information escalates.”
The panel highlighted the story of Elliston Berry, 15, who suffered a horrific ordeal when her school peers created deep fake pornography using her likeness and circulated it online.
The social media company where the video was circulated – which featured Elliston’s face atop an adult image – did not take swift action.
Cruz talked about the lasting harm for those who suffer such trauma.
He said teenagers, “are enduring senseless psychological harm knowing that these fake images exist and they’re still out there, and in many cases, there is no recourse.”
BE BEST: On my way to The Hill to advocate for the Take It Down Act bill. I urge Congress to pass this important legislation to safeguard our youth. pic.twitter.com/A2qoet0Y2c
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 3, 2025
The first lady’s push for the bill is part of the return of her BE BEST initiative, seeking to better the social, emotional, and mental health of young people across the country. She urged, “By advancing this bill, Congress can take an important step towards ensuring accountability and fostering responsible online behavior.”
FLOTUS: “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.” pic.twitter.com/8EIpH81YhC
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 3, 2025