Linda McMahon Nominated as Trump’s Education Secretary Pick

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Linda McMahon, former WWE executive and a prominent ally, to serve as the Secretary of Education in his upcoming administration. McMahon’s nomination follows her role as co-chair of Trump’s transition team and her previous tenure as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) during Trump’s first term.

Trump announced the decision Tuesday, praising McMahon’s “decades of leadership experience” and her ability to bridge education and business sectors. He emphasized her mission to “empower the next generation of American students and workers” and her role in advancing his goal to “send education back to the states.”

McMahon is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of WWE, which she transformed with her husband, Vince McMahon, into a global entertainment powerhouse. Despite her limited experience in the education sector, McMahon briefly served on Connecticut’s state board of education from 2009 to 2010.

The role of education secretary could involve leading efforts to downsize or entirely abolish the Department of Education, a campaign promise Trump has reiterated. While dissolving the department would require Congressional approval, McMahon may focus on delegating federal educational oversight to individual states, aligning with Republican goals of reducing federal involvement in local education.

McMahon’s leadership may also target reversing Biden-era Title IX policies, particularly those expanding protections for LGBTQ+ students. Trump has vowed to introduce rules barring transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports teams, a policy McMahon could help implement through regulatory measures.

McMahon’s appointment reflects Trump’s pattern of rewarding loyal supporters with high-profile roles. A major Republican donor, she has financially supported Trump’s campaigns and chaired the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a pro-Trump think tank. The AFPI has raised substantial funds and positioned itself as a policy hub for Trump’s potential second term.

In addition to her political and business ventures, McMahon made two unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012, self-funding her campaigns. Trump himself donated to her 2012 campaign, further cementing their professional ties.

McMahon’s nomination is expected to pass smoothly in the Republican-majority Senate, solidifying her place in Trump’s cabinet as he prepares for a second term in office.