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Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s ‘A1’ Gaffe Sparks Online Mockery
Former Education Secretary Linda McMahon, previously appointed by President Donald Trump, has become the target of widespread online ridicule after mistakenly referring to Artificial Intelligence (AI) as ‘A1’, reminiscent of the well-known steak sauce brand. The 76-year-old former WWE executive repeatedly made the verbal misstep during a speech at the ASU+GSV education summit in San Diego, while discussing the integration of AI in educational settings and classrooms across the country. McMahon’s comments regarding ‘A1’ teaching have drawn criticism and amusement across social media platforms.
McMahon’s Misunderstanding of AI
During her address at the education conference earlier this week, McMahon stated, “I heard this morning… there’s a school system that’s gonna start making sure that first graders, or even pre-K, have A1 teaching every year starting that far down in the grades.” She continued to use ‘A1’ in place of AI throughout her remarks on the subject of technology in education.
She further commented, “And that’s a wonderful thing. Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything. Wasn’t all that long ago that it was, ‘We’re gonna have internet in our schools. Woo!'”
Expanding on the perceived benefits of ‘A1’ in classrooms, McMahon added, “Now, OK, let’s see A1 and how can that be helpful? How can it be helpful in one-on-one instruction? How can it be helpful in absorbing more information for those fast learners? It can be more one-on-one directed. Those are the kinds of things and innovations that I wanna see continue to develop.” Her repeated use of ‘A1’ instead of AI led to widespread confusion and amusement online.
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A1 Sauce Brand Reacts to Viral Gaffe
Capitalizing on the online buzz, A1 Sauce, the Kraft Heinz condiment brand, responded to the incident with playful humor. On Friday, the company posted on social media: “You heard her. Every school should have access to A.1.”
Former Education Secretary Linda McMahon, 76, mistakenly referred to AI as ‘A1’, similar to the popular steak sauce.
A1 Sauce humorously responded to the viral moment, posting an image featuring a bottle of their sauce with the caption: ‘For education purposes only’.
The brand’s social media post featured a picture of an A.1. bottle bearing a modified label that read, ‘For education purposes only,’ further amplifying the humorous association between McMahon’s gaffe and their product.
Social Media Users Mock McMahon’s Comments
Social media users quickly took to platforms like X to comment on the Secretary’s verbal slip-up, with many expressing disbelief and amusement. Zach Stout, an X user, remarked, “At first I thought she might just be talking about having top notch teachers. I was clearly mistaken…”
Another X user, Diane Callahan, questioned McMahon’s qualifications, stating, “She wasn’t qualified in the first place.”
An anonymous X user commented on the repeated nature of the error: “An accident is saying it once. You don’t know what you’re talking about if saying repeatedly.”
Adding a political dimension, a fourth user quipped, “She will do great closing the department of education.”
McMahon’s Tenure and Department of Education
Linda McMahon, spouse of former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, was previously selected by President Trump with a stated goal to streamline or even dismantle the Department of Education. Trump expressed his expectation that McMahon would “put herself out of a job” by facilitating the agency’s reorganization.
Prior to this incident, McMahon had already overseen reductions in the department’s workforce by approximately half. The Department has also been in the process of terminating leases on office spaces in major cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland, according to department officials.
Despite these changes, officials have affirmed that the Department remains committed to essential functions, such as the allocation of federal funding to schools, management of student loans, and oversight of Pell Grants.
McMahon stated that her objective upon joining the department was to reduce bureaucratic excess and ensure greater financial resources reached local education agencies. “So many of the programs are really excellent, so we need to make sure the money goes to the states,” McMahon conveyed in a Fox News interview.
Trump’s Stance on the Department of Education
President Trump had campaigned on a pledge to abolish the Department of Education, asserting it had become dominated by “radicals, zealots and Marxists.” At her confirmation proceeding, McMahon acknowledged that only Congress possessed the authority to eliminate the agency but suggested it was due for potential budgetary adjustments and restructuring.
Linda McMahon, the spouse of former WWE boss Vince McMahon, was appointed by President Trump to reorganize the Department of Education.
McMahon has already implemented workforce reductions within the department. She is pictured with President Trump.
During her hearing with lawmakers, McMahon clarified that her intention was not to defund core programs, but rather to enhance their efficiency. Even prior to the recent staff reductions, the Education Department was already among the smallest Cabinet-level agencies, comprising 3,100 employees in Washington and an additional 1,100 in regional offices across the nation, according to department data.
Department employees had faced increased pressure to resign since the beginning of the Trump administration, initially through a deferred resignation initiative and subsequently through a $25,000 buyout offering that concluded on March 3.