During a high-profile White House event, US President Donald Trump recounted a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that shifted from tense ceasefire negotiations toward an unexpected personal exchange. As Trump hosted the signing ceremony for the ´Take It Down Act,´ landmark legislation designed to outlaw the non-consensual distribution of explicit images—including those generated by artificial intelligence—he shared that Putin had expressed strong respect for First Lady Melania Trump. ´Putin just said, they respect your wife a lot,´ Trump told attendees, before jokingly inquiring, ´What about me?´ According to Trump, Putin quipped, ´They like Melania better.´
The phone conversation between Trump and Putin reportedly lasted over two hours, touching on efforts to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine, improve US-Russian trade, and address the ongoing conflict that Trump noted was costing thousands of lives weekly. Trump emphasized that their talks were productive and that meaningful steps were being discussed toward peace. Additionally, Trump thanked European leaders for participating in a broader dialogue and praised Melania´s active role in humanitarian initiatives, including her advocacy for youth aging out of foster care.
The signing of the Take It Down Act marks a significant federal intervention against both real and artificial intelligence-generated ´revenge porn.´ The law criminalizes the posting of intimate images without consent, including deepfakes, and represents one of the first US statutes directly aiming at the harms of artificial intelligence misuse. After passing both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support, the law mandates swift removal of infringing content by websites and imposes penalties of up to three years in federal prison for offenders. Melania Trump, who joined the signing—a first for a US first lady—underscored the risks posed by advanced technologies and social media, advocating stronger protections for youth and all Americans. The legislation’s broad impact is expected to set national standards for digital privacy and online safety.
