Disproving claim Rachel Maddow announced surrogate pregnancy

In mid-July 2025, a rumor circulated online that MSNBC's Rachel Maddow announced she and her partner, Susan Mikula, were having a baby via surrogacy.

Posts sharing the rumor included a series of images, including one of Maddow holding a baby and another of her holding up a sonogram. For example, the caption of one post — which received more than 27,000 reactions before the creator deleted it — read as follows:

"At 50 Years Old, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Emotionally Reveals Plans to Welcome a Child Through Surrogacy with Longtime Partner Susan Mikula—Their Intimate Announcement Captivates Fans Worldwide, Inspiring Heartfelt Conversations on Age, Love, and New Beginnings;

[…]

Discover the Powerful Story Behind Their Decision and Why Their Chosen Surrogate Has Deeply Moved Millions Around the Globe with a Message of Hope, Compassion, and the Enduring Strength of Family Bonds; This Heartwarming Journey Redefines Parenthood, Challenges Stereotypes, and Reminds Everyone That It's Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams and Create a Legacy Built on Love and Resilience."

(Facebook user @Poesia de Amor)

The account's bio designated itself a "supermarket/convenience store" and the link in the caption redirected users to an article on the site "USA News," which listed a physical address that doesn't exist and was not a credible news site.

Variations of the rumor spread on other platforms, including another Facebook account and other websites. Dozens of Snopes readers also inquired as to the truth of the claim.

Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. However, there was no evidence of Maddow making such an announcement publicly or posting the images included with the claim. As a result, we've rated the claim that Maddow announced she was planning to welcome a child by surrogate false.

No credible news outlet has reported the claim that Maddow and her partner made such an announcement. A Google search of the keywords "rachel maddow surrogacy child" turned up results primarily related to the circulated posts above. Maddow also did not make any such announcement on her personal social media accounts, and no credible news outlet published the images or the claim.

Rather, the rumor about Maddow and Mikula having a child via surrogacy appeared to have originated from an earlier article by another USA News site from July 7, 2025 (the logo was the same as the USA News story above, although the URL differed), which began:

Rachel Maddow Announces Emotional Plan to Have a Child at 50 — Identity of Surrogate Stuns Fans and Sparks Tears Over Her Enduring Love with Susan Mikula

New York — In a deeply personal and emotional revelation, acclaimed journalist and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has announced that she is preparing to welcome her first child at the age of 50 — a decision she describes as "the most beautiful, bold, and human journey" she's ever embarked on.

Speaking candidly in an exclusive interview, Maddow shared that the desire to become a parent has lived in her for years, but only recently did she feel "ready — truly ready." And at the center of her strength and certainty is her longtime partner, Susan Mikula, who has supported her every step of the way.

Although neither the article nor the website included a disclaimer indicating the claim was satirical, the site published dozens of other fake claims. The images used in the July 14 story were also almost entirely AI-generated. The sole exception was the first featured photo of Maddow and Mikula, which was from an event in 2011.

We ran the images through AI-detection software Hive.com, which reported that they were 100% AI-generated.

(Hive.com)

This was not the first false rumor about Maddow that Snopes has investigated. For example, we looked into a series of posts claiming that in July 2025, in the wake of devastating floods in Texas, the MSNBC host donated millions of dollars to relief efforts, hired two helicopters for rescues, offered her Texas home for relief work and/or was herself rescued during a report.