[EXTERNAL] FLOTUS pool report #3 - more event details

During the 59 minute discussion, Senator Cruz said he was “confident that when this bill is signed into law each of the victim advocates, that you'll receive a pen used by the president to sign into law and by the way, they're about this big (holding out his hands about a foot apart). They’re big pens.”

Cruz told FLOTUS: “Your husband does nothing small.”

The first lady laughed in response.

Here are the remarks from Elliston Berry, 15. She and her mother and stepfather Mark and Anna McAdams will be seated in the First Lady's box at POTUS' speech on Tuesday night, per the Berry Family.

Note: Elliston is seated next to Melania Trump; Senator Ted Cruz is on the other side of the first lady.

Elliston said she was just 14 when a classmate used AI to edit a photo from social media: “I was 14 years old when I was violated all over social media.”

More Elliston: “I wrote back to messages from a friend notifying me that these photos of me were circulating & from a past Instagram photo with a nude body and my face attached, made from AI.”

More: “Shock and disgust were just some of the many emotions. I felt responsible and began to blame myself and was ashamed to tell my parents. & School was a little to no help and said that it was out of their control. & I came here today to not only promote this bill but to fight for the many survivors. It is so inspiring to know that my voice is being heard, giving hope to not only me, to all the many people that have been affected by this. It is truly so amazing how this awful situation has turned to good. Thank you.”

Melania Trump joined the room in giving Elliston a round of applause after her remarks.

Cruz noted Elliston is from Texas and that his how he became aware of the issue – when her mom called his office.

Cruz: “Elliston's mom said she had called Snapchat, she emailed them, she tried repeatedly take this garbage down of my daughter, and she'd got no response at all, no movement. I turned to my staff in my office that afternoon, and I said, I want you to get the CEO of Snapchat on the phone today. I want those pictures down today, within two hours they pulled them now, it should not take a sitting senator or sitting member of Congress picking up the phone to get a picture down or a video down. It should be the right of every American, every teenage girl victimized, should have the right to get this garbage taken down, and this bill will give them that right as a matter of federal law.”

FLOTUS listed during the remarks, often nodding along as people spoke. She applauded all the speakers after they shared their story. Again the other speakers are: Francesca Mani, 16; Breeze Liu; state Rep. Brandon Guffey of South Carolina, whose son died by suicide after receding NCII (deep fake) threats; and RAINN VP of Public Policy Stefan Turkheirmer.

Speaker Johnson briefly spoke: “As the dark side of technology advances, these unspeakable evils become part of the culture the law has to keep up. And I'm really grateful that we have thoughtful legislators here who take the take the reins on this and are willing to do pass legislation to address it. We were anxious to put it on the floor in the house, to get the President Trump's desk for signature, because we've got to do what we can to stop this.”

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said: “First Lady Trump, I really appreciate your bringing your humanity and looking at this as a parent and as a leader and not through politics. And your presence here, obviously, is going to make a big difference, and I appreciate your being here and doing so for the country in a bipartisan way.”

After the remarks, Melania Trump stayed for about 10 minutes.

She shook hands with Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise and a few of the other lawmakers. She also spoke with victims Elliston Berry, 15, and Francesca Mani, 16, who both testified. Senator Cruz took a photo of the three women posing together. FLOTUS also spoke with the girls’ parents telling them: “Keep up the good work. Stay strong.”

And FLOTUS posed for a group photo.

She left the event about 3:08 pm. Press was too far back to shout questions.

Emily Goodin

Senior White House Correspondent

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