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In her first public appearance as First Lady of the United States for the second term, Melania Trump participated in a roundtable to support deepfake porn bill to protect teenagers from online harassment.
First lady Melania Trump, from center to right, followed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., walks through the Capitol, Monday, March 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 4, 2025 10:47 IST
Dressed in a tan suit, black tie and matching heels, Melania Trump made her first solo public appearance on Capitol Hill on Monday since returning as First Lady on January 20. She was there to lend her support to an online safety bill that is designed to speed the removal of revenge porn, which is intimate imagery posted online without an individual’s consent.
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.
She participated in a roundtable with lawmakers and victims of revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes as Congress zeroes in on punishing internet abuse involving non-consensual, explicit imagery.
BE BEST:
“I am here with you today with a common goal – to protect our youth from online harm. The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families, and communities.”
First Lady Melania Trump
Be Best Roundtable on... pic.twitter.com/UCETDXELY8
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 3, 2025
During the roundtable discussion about the ‘Take It Down Act’ at the US Capitol, she said it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after they are victimised by people who spread such content.
“This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritise their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said.
WATCH: @FLOTUS speaks in support of the Take It Down Act — legislation to protect Americans against the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, including deepfakes pic.twitter.com/oy4fgKvjNh — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 3, 2025
The Senate passed the “Take It Down Act” in February. 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.
Meta, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, supports the legislation.
MENSWEAR: MELANIA'S SIGNATURE STYLE
Melania Trump has been seen sporting menswear ensembles so far during her husband, Donald Trump's second term in office.
Her first solo appearance also featured her wearing a three-piece tan suit.
She sported a similar style last week at the 2025 Governors Association dinner hosted at the White House, where she wore a black pantsuit.
For her White House portrait this time, she again chose a suit.
Melania Trump is stepping into the limelight in her second term as US First Lady, in contrast to her first four years in DC during Trump’s first presidential term, when she made only a few public appearances and had rare interactions with the media.
The first lady plans to attend her husband’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening.
With inputs from news agency AP
Published By:
Manisha Pandey
Published On:
Mar 4, 2025
