MAGA candidate's proposal for schools so damaging that his allies insist it's fake

Ohio Republicans gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy offered a proposal to improve education so controversial that MAGA allies are claiming it's fake.

Ramaswamy posted a video on social media titled “Here’s how Republicans win in 2026,” that made suggestions to "bring costs down now," and the GOP candidate's final idea was so potentially damaging that he later reposted the clip without it, reported The Daily Beast.

“Let’s make parenting more affordable by making school year-round and going til four o’clock instead of three o’clock, so you don’t have to pay for childcare.”

The video remained online for several hours before it was deleted and replaced with an edited clip that omitted the 40-year-old's proposal for year-round schooling, although he didn't immediately take it down from his Threads account.

Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton, clipped and reposted the Republican candidate's proposal Monday night, and MAGA accounts insisted the video had been generated by artificial intelligence to make him look bad.

“Dr Lockdown falling for AI videos the same way she fell for Covid doomerism,” wrote MAGA influencer Jack Posobiec, referring to her role as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the early weeks of the pandemic.

“This is AI," agreed self-styled "alpha-male" Nick Adams, who is Donald Trump's ambassador nominee to Malaysia.

Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, snarled that Acton or any other candidate who shares AI-altered video should be "fined a lot of money," while popular MAGA streamer Tim Pool joined in the attacks.

“'If we are playing this game, we are done,'" Pool posted. "A Democrat candidate circulated a fake AI video of Vivek Ramaswamy promoting something he never said."

However, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy did not dispute the video's authenticity, telling the Columbus Dispatch that his remarks were part of a "casual back-and-forth on TikTok" but not a "policy rollout."

“Parents across Ohio are demanding a better education system for their children – and that is exactly who Vivek is listening to," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Vivek will keep listening to parents across the state and remains open to any option that gives our children a real chance at a better future.”

Acton's campaign pounced on the Republican's proposal.

“Blowing a massive hole in public school budgets by forcing teachers and students into year-round school is yet another example of how out of touch Vivek Ramaswamy is with Ohioans,” said Philip Stein, Acton’s campaign manager. “No wonder his own supporters think his videos are AI.”