The U.S. Senate confirmed three ambassadors nominated by former President Donald Trump: Warren Stephens (UK), Tom Barrack (Turkey), and Tilman Fertitta (Italy). Stephens, an investment banker and recent major donor to MAGA Inc., was confirmed 59-39, despite his initial opposition to Trump’s first presidential bid. Barrack, a private equity executive and longtime Trump friend, passed 60-36. Fertitta, CEO of Landry’s and owner of the Houston Rockets, secured the role of US Ambassador to Italy with a strong 83-14 vote.

In a separate action, the Senate unanimously approved the DEFIANCE Act (Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act), a bipartisan effort addressing nonconsensual deepfake imagery created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). This legislation establishes a federal civil right of action, allowing victims depicted in sexually explicit deepfakes to pursue civil damages of at least $150,000 per violation. Supporters emphasized that these civil remedies are crucial for compensating victims and providing deterrence against the growing threat posed by synthetic media, as the bill now moves to the House of Representatives.