Melania Trump on Monday lobbied on Capitol Hill for a bill that would make it a federal crime to post intimate imagery online, whether real or fake, and said it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after they are victimized by people who spread such content.
It was her first solo public appearance since she resumed the role of first lady on Jan. 20. She called on the Republican-controlled Congress to prioritize the well-being of young people.
“This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said during a roundtable discussion about the “Take It Down Act” at the U.S. Capitol.
“Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm,” she said.
The Senate passed the “Take It Down Act” in February, and Melania Trump’s public backing could help usher it through the Republican-controlled House and to President Donald Trump’s desk to become law. The bill’s chief sponsors are Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., and Madeleine Dean, D-Pa.
Cruz, who hosted the discussion in the Capitol’s Mansfield Room, told the first lady that her leadership “is incredibly important and I’m confident it’s going to play a critical role in accelerating the passage of this bill and getting it passed into law.”
He said the measure was inspired by Elliston Berry and her mother, who visited his office after Snapchat refused for nearly a year to remove an AI-generated nonconsensual graphic image, also known as a “deepfake,” of the then 14-year-old. Elliston and other victims shared their stories Monday.
Meta, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, supports the legislation.
The bill would make it a federal crime to knowingly publish or threaten to publish intimate imagery online without an individual’s consent, including realistic, computer-generated intimate images of people who can be identified. Social media platforms would have 48 hours to remove such images and take steps to delete duplicate content after a victim’s request.
“Having an intimate image – real or AI-generated – shared without consent can be devastating and Meta developed and backs many efforts to help prevent it,” communications director Andy Stone said on X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also attended the roundtable and expressed his support for the bill but offered no timetable for a vote.
“We are anxious to put it on the floor in the House, to get it to President Trump’s desk for his signature because we’ve got to do what we can to stop this, and I am a full supporter of it,” Johnson said.
The first lady also took a swipe at Democrats, saying she expected more of them to participate in the discussion. California Rep. Ro Khanna was the only Democrat in the room.
“Surely as adults, we can prioritize America’s children ahead of partisan politics,” she said.
The first lady’s appearance alongside Cruz came years after the senator and her husband campaigned bitterly for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. At one point, Trump falsely accused Cruz of being behind an ad released by an anti-Trump super PAC that featured a racy photo of Melania Trump, a former fashion model, that was taken during a GQ photo shoot.
In the first Trump administration, Melania Trump led a youth initiative she named “ Be Best,” which included a focus on online safety. She has said she’s interested in reviving the program.
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