In his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump applauded his wife, Melania Trump, for her work in spearheading legislation against deepfakes and revenge porn. But he couldn’t help but make the moment all about himself.

Donald Trump lauded the First Lady, who sat alongside 15-year-old Elliston Berry of Aledo, Texas, a victim of an AI-created deepfake photo. He also thanked Senate Majority Leader John Thune for pushing the legislation.

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“I’m going to use that bill for myself, if you don’t mind,” Trump joked, making the crowd laugh. “Nobody gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

Melania Trump’s lobbying is her first trip to the Capitol this session. She met with lawmakers on Monday to urge the approval of the ‘Take It Down’ bill, a bipartisan legislation that seeks to criminalize revenge porn at the federal level. The Senate has already approved the bill, making it a crime to distribute intimate images—real and AI-created—without authorization. It also requires tech platforms to take down such content within 48 hours.

Melania Trump’s Position on Cyber Security

In her first public outing since the start of the new administration, Melania Trump highlighted the risks of cyber exploitation, especially among youths.

“It’s heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes,” she said. “In an era where digital interactions are integral to daily life, it is imperative that we safeguard children from mean-spirited and hurtful online behaviour.”

The ‘Take It Down’ bill has been supported by both parties, with Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota at the forefront. House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie confirmed that the committee will hold a hearing on the bill in the next few weeks.

Trump’s Key Policy Announcements

Whereas Melania emphasized cyber safety, President Trump utilized his speech to note his administration’s significant policy changes. He ended diversity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government and said, “The US will be woke no longer.” He also asserted that there were just two genders—male and female—and vowed to have a stronger approach to illegal immigration and gender identity.

Trump justified his economic policies, which included suspending military aid to Ukraine and introducing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico imports. He also raised tariffs for Chinese imports from 10% to 20%.

With the election cycle about to start, Melania Trump’s campaign for safety online, along with President Trump’s policy statements, lays the ground for spirited political debates during the next several months.