On May 19, 2025, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participated in a historic Rose Garden ceremony to sign the Take It Down Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation aimed at criminalizing the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. The First Lady co-signed the bill, emphasizing its importance.
President Trump mentioned during the ceremony that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had expressed admiration for Melania Trump during a recent conversation regarding the Ukraine conflict. The President noted that Putin’s comments made him question his rapport with the Russian leader.
The Take It Down Act is a key part of Mrs. Trump’s BE BEST initiative. It tackles the issue of revenge image postings involving both real and AI-generated content. Earlier this year, Mrs. Trump made an unusual visit to Capitol Hill to advocate for the bill with lawmakers.
At the ceremony, Mrs. Trump stated, “This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused.” President Trump recognized her advocacy efforts and requested her signature (ceremonially) on the bill after his own.
White House officials noted that Melania Trump is the first First Lady in U.S. history to sign legislation alongside a sitting president, marking a notable moment for presidential spouses. She addressed the risks posed by emerging technologies, particularly for youth, likening AI and social media to “digital candy.”
President Trump shared his experiences with deepfakes, expressing frustration over the lack of accountability for those responsible. He mentioned that even senior law enforcement officials have struggled to tackle the issue effectively.
The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support—409-2 in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. Before the bill’s signing, 49 states had laws against “revenge porn,” with South Carolina being the exception. Under the new law, offenders face up to two years in federal prison for adult images and three years for those involving minors. Websites must remove infringing content within 48 hours of notification, with the Federal Trade Commission handling enforcement.
This legislation is one of the first federal efforts to address AI misuse. In March 2025, Mrs. Trump convened a roundtable discussion with survivors, families, and safety advocates to press for the bill’s passage.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a key sponsor, praised the First Lady’s involvement in advancing the legislation. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who co-led the effort, emphasized that the law will help victims remove harmful content and hold perpetrators accountable.
While digital rights groups have voiced concerns about the bill’s broad language, suggesting it might affect legitimate content or pose challenges for smaller platforms, the Electronic Frontier Foundation warned that the 48-hour removal mandate could lead companies to remove content without proper verification.
Despite these concerns, the Take It Down Act has received support from major tech companies, including Meta, reflecting the growing recognition of AI’s potential to create fabricated explicit content without consent.
The signing ceremony gathered survivors, families, lawmakers, Cabinet officials, and advocates who played roles in passing this significant legislation, highlighting the bipartisan commitment to addressing online exploitation.
