California Democrats Find Unusual Ally In Melania Trump

SAN FRANCISCO — Two of California’s most prolific Democrats fighting deepfakes are finding themselves on common ground with first lady Melania Trump.

State Sen. Aisha Wahab and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan both told POLITICO's California Decoded newsletter in exclusive interviews that they welcome the first lady’s push on the Hill this week to pass the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, aimed at outlawing non-consensual deepfake pornography and forcing tech companies to remove that kind of content when flagged by users.

Melania Trump could be a powerful ally in the battle the two lawmakers have been fighting from the other coast.

“This is where we as society and a country can come together and say ‘We won’t stand for this,’” said Wahab, who authored legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, including similar rules allowing people to ask that deepfakes of them be taken down.

The first lady’s communications director, Nick Clemens, told California Decoded: “Protecting children from malicious attacks online is something First Lady Melania Trump cares very deeply about, and there is bipartisan support for legislation like the Take It Down Act.”

Melania Trump said during her tour on the Hill that she got involved in this cause due to concerns about the “heartbreaking” impacts on young women in particular.

Bauer-Kahan, who is carrying a bill this session that would criminalize the online hosting and distribution of unauthorized deepfake porn, also embraced the backing from Trump world on this particular issue.

“I often say tech policy is best done when consistent across the country, but that’s been hard the last few years,” the San Francisco area lawmaker told California Decoded. Bauer-Kahan said the more pressure legislators can put on Big Tech at all levels to devote resources to taking down malicious and explicit deepfakes, the better.

She added that automated programs designed to detect and take down illegal explicit deepfakes have improved, but “getting these companies to take ownership over this issue” is challenging.

It’s an unusual message of support for the Trumps’ agenda from Democrats in a state the president loves to hate. Donald Trump himself even mentioned the bipartisan federal effort in his address to Congress on Tuesday — another bridge, however narrow, between the White House and Sacramento.

Not all deepfake rules are created equal, though — politically at least. One of the measures Newsom signed last year drew a legal challenge from Elon Musk’s X, arguing the requirements to label certain AI-generated political content violates free speech.

Deepfaked revenge porn is a bipartisan issue, though. The Melania Trump-backed measure has the support of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). It is sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.).

Donald Trump said during his speech earlier this week he might make use of the TAKE IT DOWN Act himself.

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

Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICO’s California Decoded newsletter.