MAGA Claims Viral Clip of Vivek Ramaswamy Proposing Year‑Round School Was AI — Opponent Reposts Edited Segment

Supporters of MAGA are asserting that a genuine clip of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy proposing year‑round schooling was artificially generated, after the short video was posted, partially removed from some platforms, and reposted by his Democratic opponent.

The original video, titled “Here’s how Republicans win in 2026,” presented a series of ideas aimed at “bringing down costs now.” Near the end of the clip, the 40‑year‑old Republican suggested adjusting the school calendar and hours to reduce childcare expenses:

“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 footage was uploaded Monday afternoon and remained available for several hours before Ramaswamy’s team replaced it with an edited version that omitted the year‑round school proposal. The full, unedited clip remained on Ramaswamy’s Threads account; his campaign has not publicly explained why the segment was removed from other platforms.

That excised segment was clipped and reposted to X (formerly Twitter) by Dr. Amy Acton, Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial race. As Acton’s post circulated, several prominent MAGA commentators and influencers claimed the clip was fabricated with AI rather than a genuine recording.

Comments included accusations that the video was altered or purposefully misleading. MAGA influencer Jack Posobiec wrote that Acton was “falling for AI videos the same way she fell for Covid doomerism,” while Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, argued that anyone who shared AI‑altered political videos should face stiff penalties. Author Nick Adams also declared, “This is AI.”

Acton’s campaign seized on the matter to criticize the substance of the proposal. Campaign manager Philip Stein warned the idea would strain public school budgets and framed the suggestion as evidence Ramaswamy is out of touch with Ohio voters:

“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. No wonder his own supporters think his videos are AI.”

Ramaswamy did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the clip or the social‑media claims that it had been AI‑generated.

Before this incident, Ramaswamy had not publicly promoted year‑round schooling. His campaign platform emphasizes improving education in Ohio — focusing on stronger standards, literacy, expanded school choice, and introducing appropriate uses of technology, including AI, in classrooms.

A former biotech CEO, Ramaswamy ran for president in 2024 as an outspoken conservative candidate and exited the Republican primary after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses. He has been an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump and is now campaigning for Ohio governor.