Linda McMahon fails basic math during Senate budget hearing

In 2024, Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, participated in a Senate budget hearing to discuss President Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts impacting education programs. During the hearing, Senator John Kennedy incorrectly claimed that the U.S. government spends $1.58 million annually on federal grant programs, converting this figure to more than a trillion dollars over a decade. A fellow senator, Jack Reed, corrected Kennedy, clarifying that the total would actually equal $15 billion, not a trillion. Despite this correction, McMahon did not rectify the misstatement and contributed to the ongoing confusion by discussing supposed cuts to the TRIO program, which aids low-income students. The proposed budget aims for severe reductions in funding for education, impacting critical financial assistance programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP, which support various educational initiatives for vulnerable populations. The meeting highlighted the misconceptions surrounding the budget's details, and McMahon's prior missteps in communication raised concerns about her understanding of the agency she leads. Critics argue that such mistakes reflect poorly on her ability to manage the Department of Education effectively, as she has previously made public errors in articulating key policies, including misidentifying artificial intelligence as 'A1.' The hearing unfolded as bipartisan concerns arose, particularly from Senator Susan Collins, who emphasized the importance of TRIO in transforming the lives of countless first-generation students. The proposed cuts, connected to Trump's 'skinny budget,' reflect a larger intention to dismantle the Department of Education and the crucial programs within it, drawing attention to the implications these changes could have on educational access for underprivileged communities.