MSNBC's Rachel Maddow trolls Education Secretary Linda McMahon over major 'AI' pronunciation gaffe

Linda McMahon repeatedly mispronounced 'AI' while discussing the potential use of artificial intelligence in schools during a panel in California
PUBLISHED APR 12, 2025
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow took several jabs at Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during her April 11 show (Screengrab/MSNBC, Global Silicon Valley)
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow took several jabs at Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during her April 11 show (Screengrab/MSNBC, Global Silicon Valley)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: MSNBC host Rachel Maddow took jabs at Linda McMahon as well as President Donald Trump’s second administration after the secretary of education failed to pronounce "AI."

During a recent panel discussion in San Diego, California, McMahon got confused between "AI" and "A1," according to the Irish Star.



 

Rachel Maddow takes a jibe at Linda McMahon following her major gaffe

In the opening minutes of her Friday, April 11, show, Rachel Maddow paused to highlight the latest blunder to emerge from President Donald Trump’s administration, according to Raw Story.

She played the clip of McMahon where she said, "There is a school system that is going to start making sure that first graders or even pre-Ks have A1 teaching every year starting that far down in the grades – and that’s just a wonderful thing."

A few moments later, the education secretary said, "Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything. It wasn’t all that long ago that it was, ‘Oh, we’re gonna have internet in our schools, woo.’ Now, let’s see A1 and how can that be helpful."

Maddow appeared stunned by the mix-up and said during the show, "What are we talking about here?"



 

She quipped, "Now I myself, I love me some A1. It’s tangy. It really brings out the best in a steak or whatever," referring to the A1 Steak Sauce, and added, "But A1 – I mean it's not like an education term of art like K-12 or something, right? Or pre-K, you know what I mean? Like A1 is a whole different thing."

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: Linda McMahon, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be administrator of the Small Business Administration, is sworn in prior to testimony before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee January 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony on McMahon's nomination to the position. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Linda McMahon sworn in prior to testimony before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee on January 24, 2017, in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Maddow further said, "This is an anagram that you spell out. It’s not like NASA, where you don't say N-A-S-A, you just like pronounce the anagram as if it's a word. This is the whole anagram spelled out. It’s artificial intelligence ‘A’ and then ‘I’ – ‘AI’ – and she cannot spell that!"

She also mentioned, "So now we've got tangy, salty A1 in all the schools. And that will somehow be facilitated by abolishing the US Department of Education, which, you know, it'll be delicious."



 

Criticizing the Trump administration, she concluded, "Everything they're doing is so terrible."

Maddow had previously highlighted the infamous "Signalgate" debacle as well as Trump's accidental phone call to his estranged former National security advisor, HR McMaster, whom he cursed out, as per the outlet.

Internet trolls Linda McMahon for her AI gaffe

Joining Rachel Maddow, several netizens trolled Linda McMahon as she failed to pronounce "AI" and ended up calling it 'A1' during a recent panel discussion in San Diego, California.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 18: Former U.S. Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Linda McMahon speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

One wrote, "I’ve seen enough. Get rid of the education department immediately," and another added, "Could we blame auto-correct? Lol."

A person joked, "Nice to see our education is in A # 1 hands. What could go wrong?" whereas someone else quipped, "I always like a little A1 with my Tariffs..... Another in the long list of moron appointees."

"Education is the real enemy of MAGA, which is exactly why someone like Linda was sent to destroy it. She wasn’t even reading from a paper and still said 'A1' instead of AI. That’s how she prepared," an individual stated. 

"How the hell is steak sauce going to be helpful on our schools?" one more joked. "Feels like a tech nightmare. How do people like this get into power?" another person asked. 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Attorneys general said the H‑1B fee threatened public services, warning that hospitals, schools, and agencies would struggle to fill shortages
1 day ago
The new 'Deb’s Law', set to take effect in September 2026, allows eligible adults to self-administer life‑ending medication under strict safeguards
1 day ago
Micah Beckwith says White House 'told many lawmakers' that roads and bases were at risk if they didn't eliminate Democratic districts
1 day ago
Florida Governor urges state legislators to bypass 'career politicians' in Washington, citing 95% incumbent reelection rate
1 day ago
Twenty Republicans joined Democrats in passing the bill, which aims to reinstate collective bargaining rights for nearly a million federal employees
2 days ago
It will give the Trump administration tools to push back on the most 'onerous' state rules, White House AI adviser David Sacks said
2 days ago
Kristi Noem said no US citizens or military veterans have been deported under the Trump administration
2 days ago
Republicans Murkowski, Collins, Sullivan, and Hawley broke ranks to back an ACA subsidy extension by Dems, but the bill still fell short of advancing
3 days ago
Dems lost bid to extend Obamacare tax credits before January deadline as the measure fell short of 60 votes, despite 4 GOP senators siding with them
3 days ago
ESTA applicants may face expanded data collection, with travelers required to provide phone numbers from the past decade as well as family details
4 days ago