Trump signs a bill to make posting 'revenge porn' a federal crime. He had the first lady sign, too

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday signed into law the Take It Down Act, a measure that imposes penalties for online sexual exploitation that first lady Melania Trump helped usher through Congress, and he had her sign it, too, despite what sounded like a mild objection on her part.

“C'mon, sign it anyway,” the president told his wife. “She deserves to sign it,” he said.

After she added her signature, the president held up the document to show both of their names to the audience at the ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. Melania Trump's signature is merely symbolic since first ladies are not elected and they play no role in the enactment of legislation.

In March, Melania Trump used her first public appearance since resuming the role of first lady to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby House members to pass the bill following its approval by the Senate.

At a signing ceremony, she called the new law a “national victory” that will help protect children from online exploitation, including through the use of artificial intelligence to make fake images.

“AI 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,” she said. “But unlike sugar, these new technologies can be weaponized, shape beliefs and, sadly, affect emotions and even be deadly.”

The president said the proliferation of images made using AI means that “countless women have been harassed with deepfakes and other explicit images distributed against their will.” He said what's happening is “just so horribly wrong.”

“Today, we're making it totally illegal,” Trump said.

The bill makes it a federal crime to “knowingly publish” or threaten to publish intimate images without a person’s consent, including AI-created “deepfakes.” Websites and social media companies will be required to remove such material within 48 hours after a victim requests it. The platforms must also take steps to delete duplicate content.

Many states have already banned the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes or revenge porn, but the Take It Down Act is a rare example of federal regulators imposing on internet companies.

The bill, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House in April by a 409-2 vote and clearing the Senate by unanimous consent.

But the measure isn't without critics. Free speech advocates and digital rights groups say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship of legitimate images, including legal pornography and LGBTQ content. Others say it could allow the government to monitor private communications and undermine due process.

The first lady appeared at a Capitol Hill roundtable with lawmakers and young women who had explicit images of them put online, saying it was “heartbreaking” to see what teenagers and especially girls go through after this happens to them. She also included a victim among her guests for the president's address to a joint session of Congress the day after that meeting.

After the House passed the bill, Melania Trump said the bipartisan vote was a “powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of our children.”

Her advocacy for the bill represents a continuation of the Be Best campaign she started in the president's first term, focusing on children's well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.

In his speech to Congress in March, the president said he looked forward to signing the bill.

“And I'm going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don’t mind,” he said, adding, that there's nobody who "gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody.”

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and others, after signing the "Take It Down Act" during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump holds up a bill for the "Take it Down Act" that he and first lady Melania Trump signed in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump holds up a bill for the "Take it Down Act" that he and first lady Melania Trump, right, signed in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and others, after signing the "Take It Down Act" during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump holds up a bill for the "Take it Down Act" that he and first lady Melania Trump signed in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive in the Rose Garden at the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025 in Washington, where President Trump will sign the "Take It Down Act". (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive in the Rose Garden at the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025 in Washington, where President Trump will sign the "Take It Down Act". (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and others, after signing the "Take It Down Act" during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump, left, and first lady Melania Trump arrive to speak during a bill signing event for the "Take it Down Act" in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump, right, watches as first lady Melania Trump speaks at an event for Military Mothers, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — John Marino scored at 4:03 of the third period to break a tie and give the Utah Mammoth a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Marino also assisted on Nick Schmaltz's 17th goal of the season and Karel Vejmelka made 26 stops as the Mammoth won for the fifth time in six games.

Mikko Rantanen scored and Jake Oettinger had 25 saves for Dallas, which has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Schmaltz broke a scoreless deadlock with 7 seconds left in the second period, tipping in a feed from Marino. It was the fourth latest goal in any regulation period in Utah's short franchise history.

The Mammoth nearly made it 2-0 just 38 seconds into the third, but Lawson Crouse had his goal wiped off the board for high-sticking.

Rantanen leveled the score with a power-play goal at the 2:04 of the third.

Marino answered two minutes later, snapping the puck home from long distance to put the Mammoth up 2-1 with his second winning goal of the season.

Utah improved to 16-1-1 this season when leading after two periods.

Stars: host Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Mammoth: host Seattle on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Dallas Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) shoots the puck against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson, center left, fights for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)