• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, April 14, 2025

When U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive, isn’t busy swinging a wrecking ball at public education, she’s providing inadvertent laughs to America’s steak lovers.

While speaking on a panel for educators last week, Secretary McMahon consistently said “A.1.” instead of “AI.” She waxed on about the virtues of early education in condiments, advocating school systems “making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A.1. teaching in every year,” she said.

She added to the saucy gaffe: “Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything.”

Skipping past the realization that McMahon is in charge of the education of roughly 115,000 schools covering some 55 million K- through-12 students, the internet was more inclined to be amused than horrified. And Kraft Heinz’s adept social media teams didn’t miss a beat.

The brand took to Instagram with a doctored-up shot of the sauce, labeled “For educational purposes only.” The photo contains the slogan, “Agree, best to start them early.” The post is captioned: “You heard her. Every school should have access to A.1.”

Commenters couldn’t resist the obvious comebacks, with “Well done, A.1.,” multiple chefs’ kisses, and even a few accusations that the post was fake and “A.1. generated.” Some invoked political suggestions like, “MASA, Make America Sauce Again,” “Let them eat steak!” and “Only the best people. Welcome to the meritocracy.”

While Heinz has never been known for political commentary, the company’s brand teams are used to generating laughs on social media, whether it’s launching portable Velveeta pouches, pink Barbie-cue sauce or fake ketchup heiresses.

A.1. is one of the company’s oldest brands, invented in the 1820s by the chef of King George IV and commercialized in 1862 for the masses.

McMahon was confirmed as secretary in early March, vowing to dismantle the department and “reorient” efforts, especially aiming to end “political indoctrination" in classrooms.

She is the defendant in a lawsuit alleging that she and her husband, Vince McMahon, turned a blind eye to WWE practices that encouraged the sexual abuse of minors in the 1980s and 1990s. In February, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that the case brought against the McMahons and the WWE by five anonymous “ring boys” could move forward.

McMahon’s lawyers have said the suit is without merit. “This civil lawsuit based upon thirty-plus-year-old allegations is filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations and misrepresentations regarding Linda McMahon,” a legal representative said in a recent CNN interview. “Ms. McMahon will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit and without doubt ultimately succeed.”