Melania Trump Hints at an Unnamed Legislative Initiative in 2026
The first lady thanked lawmakers Thursday for their support in the passage of the Take It Down Act, her office’s ‘greatest triumph’ in 2025.
In front of a festive congressional crowd at the White House on Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump touted her office’s biggest accomplishment of 2025—the passage of the Take It Down Act—and then teased another unnamed legislative initiative in the works for 2026.
“I appreciate your bipartisan, overwhelmingly bipartisan support … across the House and the Senate,” the first lady said. “I hope you will be excited to support my new legislative initiative in 2026. Some of you already know about it because it’s already in the works.”
The first lady’s remarks were made to members of Congress who gathered at the White House for the holiday Congressional Ball where she called the passage of the act her office’s “greatest triumph” this year. The Take It Down legislation signed into law in May and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, penalizes anyone who spreads images of someone without their consent and requires technology platforms to promptly remove the images once reported. The bill includes AI-generated deepfake images—also commonly referred to as sextortion and revenge porn.
Mrs. Trump’s comments about future legislation apparently caught her husband by surprise.
“Well, I just heard about that for the first time,” President Trump said. “I don’t know what it is she’s doing, but I know it’s going to be great for children because she loves children.”
The bipartisan Take It Down bill that was introduced in August by Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, passed by the House in a bipartisanship vote of 409-2.
“Artificial Intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation—sweet, addictive and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children,” the first lady said during the signing ceremony. “But unlike sugar, this new technology can be weaponized, shape beliefs, and sadly, affect emotions and even be deadly.”
The legislation is significant because it is the first internet content law to clear Congress since 2018 when legislation was passed to crack down on online sex trafficking. It also is a step to hold internet companies accountable for the unregulated content that flows freely and has been proven to harm children. Violating the law carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and it will establish civil liabilities for online platforms who refuse to take these images down promptly upon request.
The Take It Down Act also marked the first successful policy of which Mrs. Trump has lent her support.
Last month, Mrs. Trump unveiled “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families,” an executive order championed by the first lady that was signed by the president.
Melania Trump Visits with Military Families at Toys for Tots Event
First Lady Melania Trump arrived with Santa Claus on Monday at Marine Corps Base Quantico with Santa Claus aboard a V-22 Osprey. There, the first lady joined United States Marines, volunteers and military families to continue the more than 75-year Toys for Tots tradition bringing holiday gifts to millions of children across America.
Mrs. Trump spoke to hundreds of children inside a decorated and historic hangar and then helped distribute toys, visited activity stations, and spent time with families whose loved ones serve both at home and abroad. She thanked the Toys for Tots Foundation and the Toy Association for their support at the event.
The first lady also told families of military personnel they are the heart of the celebration.
“Your strength in the face of adversity is inspirational. Some of the children here today have a parent stationed away from home right now. I know this can be difficult. On behalf of our nation, thank you,” she said.
The Weekly Wrap
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