Melania makes rare public appearance on Capitol Hill to push bill while chiding many Dems for being AWOL

First lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance on Capitol Hill on Monday to push a bipartisan bill aimed at combatting revenge porn and deepfake sex images.The former supermodel spoke about the horrors of artificial-intelligence-powered deepfake pornographic images that have swirled online and called out Democrats for not being more publicly supportive of the proposed Take It Down Act.“It’s heartbreaking to witness some teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content,” the first lady, 54, said during the panel session with lawmakers.“I was heartened to learn that [GOP] Senator [Ted] Cruz [of Texas] and [Dem] Senator [Amy] Klobuchar [of Minnesota] united to prioritize this fundamental matter,” she said.“I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat[ic] leaders with us here today to address this serious issue.“Surely as adults, we can prioritize American children ahead of partisan politics.”Melania, who usually steers clear of the limelight, previously spoke to members of Congress during her husband’s last term about the country’s foster-care system.After her husband’s 2024 electoral victory, the first lady revived her “Be Best” initiative, which aims to combat cyberbullying and promote wellness among young people.The proposed Take It Down Act, which was introduced by Cruz (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in the Senate, would require websites that feature user-generated content to have a “notice and takedown process” for deepfake porn.Websites including social media platforms would have two days to take down such content after being informed about it by a victim.

The legislation also enhances protections for victims who have had sexual images shared without their consent.Perpetrators who share sexually explicit nonconsensual images, including both authentic and AI-generated ones, could face up to three years behind bars if the material is of a minor ...