By Parrot Newspaper Trump Signs ‘Take It Down Act’ to Combat Deepfake Revenge Porn — Melania Plays Key Role
In a rare moment of unity in Washington, President Donald Trump on Monday signed the Take It Down Act — a tough new law cracking down on deepfake revenge porn and other forms of online sexual exploitation. But the real spotlight wasn’t just on the president. It was also on First Lady Melania Trump, who championed the bill and joined her husband at the signing ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.
“C’mon, sign it anyway,” Trump said, nudging Melania after he’d finished putting his name on the document. “She deserves to sign it.” And she did — even though her signature holds no legal weight, it symbolized her strong advocacy for the cause.
Melania’s involvement wasn’t just ceremonial. Back in March, she made her first public appearance since stepping back into the role of first lady, heading to Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to pass the bill. Her passionate push clearly worked — the legislation sailed through Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“This is a national victory,” Melania said at the signing, calling the law a much-needed step to protect children from the dangers lurking online — especially with the rise of AI-generated fake images. She warned that technology like AI and social media are becoming the “digital candy” for kids — tempting, addictive, and potentially harmful to their mental development.
“But unlike sugar,” she added, “these tools can be weaponized. They can shape beliefs, manipulate emotions, and in some cases, lead to tragedy.”
President Trump echoed her concerns, saying that AI-created explicit images — often used to harass and humiliate women — are “just so horribly wrong.”
“Today, we’re making it totally illegal,” he declared.
The new law makes it a federal crime to knowingly post or threaten to post intimate images — including AI deepfakes — without the subject’s consent. If someone is targeted, websites and social media platforms will now be required to take down the material within 48 hours of being notified. They’ll also have to scrub any duplicates.
While many states have passed their own laws targeting revenge porn and deepfakes, this bill represents one of the strongest federal moves yet to hold tech platforms accountable.
The Take It Down Act was introduced by an unlikely political duo: Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. It passed the House in a landslide 409-2 vote and breezed through the Senate without a single objection — a rare feat in today’s hyper-partisan climate.
With signatures from both a president and a first lady, and support from nearly every corner of Congress, the message is loud and clear: online exploitation has met its match.