Donald Trump Nominates WWE Co-Founder Linda McMahon as Education Secretary

Mar. 15, 2025

Linda McMahon on July 17, 2024.Photo:Peter Casolino/New Haven Register via Getty

Peter Casolino/New Haven Register via Getty

President-electDonald Trumphas nominated WWE co-founder Linda McMahon for Secretary of the Department of Education.On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Trump, 78, announced he anticipates bringing McMahon, 76, into his upcoming administration. McMahon previously served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration during the first half of his first term.In the Nov. 19 statement, Trump wrote that McMahon is doing an “incredible” job as transition team co-chair.“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families," Trump said, later adding, “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”McMahon serves as board chair at the Trump-aligned think tank America First Policy Institute.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.Linda McMahon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024.Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via GettyMcMahon may be directed to oversee Trump’s plans for the abolition of the Department of Education.During Trump’s campaign, he criticized the Department of Education for being “ineffective” and staffing employees who“hate our children.”In July 2024,Trump proposed closing the agencyand to “cut federal funding for any school or program pushing critical race theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children.”He also said he wants to “find and remove the radicals who have infiltrated the federal Department of Education,” as well as “keep men out of women’s sports.”McMahon was also an executive at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which she co-founded with her husband,Vince McMahon. She resigned from her position in 2009 for an unsuccessful run for one of Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seats.Former U.S. President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024.Jim WATSON / AFP/ GettyLinda’s nomination follows theNov. 19 announcement that Trump nominatedDr. Mehmet Ozas administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.It also comes after Linda’s transition team co-chair, Howard Lutnick, was selected as Trump’s pick for commerce secretary. Lutnick is the billionaire chairman and CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

President-electDonald Trumphas nominated WWE co-founder Linda McMahon for Secretary of the Department of Education.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Trump, 78, announced he anticipates bringing McMahon, 76, into his upcoming administration. McMahon previously served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration during the first half of his first term.

In the Nov. 19 statement, Trump wrote that McMahon is doing an “incredible” job as transition team co-chair.

“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Trump said, later adding, “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”

McMahon serves as board chair at the Trump-aligned think tank America First Policy Institute.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.

Linda McMahon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024.Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty

Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty

McMahon may be directed to oversee Trump’s plans for the abolition of the Department of Education.

During Trump’s campaign, he criticized the Department of Education for being “ineffective” and staffing employees who“hate our children.”In July 2024,Trump proposed closing the agencyand to “cut federal funding for any school or program pushing critical race theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children.”

He also said he wants to “find and remove the radicals who have infiltrated the federal Department of Education,” as well as “keep men out of women’s sports.”

McMahon was also an executive at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which she co-founded with her husband,Vince McMahon. She resigned from her position in 2009 for an unsuccessful run for one of Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seats.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024.Jim WATSON / AFP/ Getty

Jim WATSON / AFP/ Getty

Linda’s nomination follows theNov. 19 announcement that Trump nominatedDr. Mehmet Ozas administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

It also comes after Linda’s transition team co-chair, Howard Lutnick, was selected as Trump’s pick for commerce secretary. Lutnick is the billionaire chairman and CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

source: people.com